Agrarian farmers receive farm equipment during pandemic

Cabadbaran City - Some 105 farmer-members of Avancena Beneficiaries Farmers Multi Purpise Cooperative (ABFMPC) received a farm tractor worth P1.2-million from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) of Agusan del Norte  through the agency’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP), last May 18, 2020.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Andre Atega, CESO V, said that the equipment  is hoped  to improve the farmers’ agricultural productivity that will significantly raise the farmers’ level of income.

ABFMPC Chair Sergio Baguhin said that that the equipment is a long-need of the farmers to shift the move to be more resilient in manuevering against climate change risks.

“The turn over of this farm tractor is timely when we needed  it most because the farmers already feel the painful effects during this time of Covid-19 pandemic,” Baguhin said.

Baguhin furthers that through the close coordination with the DAR officials and staff on their appeal about the coop’s absence of farm equipment is now addressed.

ABFMPC Vice Chair Constancio Dalanon said that the equipment will benefit not only the farmer-members but also non-farmer-members living outside the agrarian reform community.

Both officers expressed gratitude to the agency’s effort for the provision of the equipment during this time.

“The equipment is expected to enhance the members’ capacity during land preparation of palay and vegetables, transport and marketing of goods, generate employment, and improve the farmers’ economic condition,” Dalanon said.

The CRFPSP involved a package of capacity building for adaptation and mitigation practices and the provision of farm equipment and machinery aimed at building resiliency at the ARC levels.

It is a DAR’s response to the risks of climate change to agrarian reform communities (ARCs) and compliance with the provisions of Republic Act 9729 or the Climate Change Act. (Gil Miranda, PIO-Agusan Norte)