DAR Antique launches Component 2 & 3 of PaSSOver: ARBold Move project

The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office (DARPO) Antique on Wednesday, July 8, launched the Component 2  and 3 of the agency’s project dubbed as “The PaSSOver: ARBold Move for the Deliverance of our Farmers from the COVID-19 Pandemic” which is the Farm Productivity Assistance to ARBs and Support to Women in Crisis Situation respectively, in Brgy. Nasuli-C, Anini-y, Antique.

The project which aims to help the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) ensure their agricultural production, livelihood and income amidst this health crisis was led by PARPO II Florentino D. Siladan along with PARPO I Ludimer A. Capague who delivered a message during the event.

“Today we launched the DAR’s project that would provide immediate essential support services to men and women ARBs to enable them cope with the impact of the community quarantine brought by the pandemic” Capague said in his message during the distribution of the farm productivity inputs.

“The distribution will last for the whole month of July and would be implemented province wide for the 450 qualified ARBs. However, today we are only distributing 52 farm inputs for the beneficiaries from Anini-y and Tobias Fornier”, he added.

Present also during the event is Senior Agrarian Reform Program Officer (SARPO) Engr. Noel B. Pagunsan, who explained further the two components of the project.

“Component 2 of the project is the distribution of farm inputs needed by the farmers for crop production which consist seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and necessary farm tools covering 21.75 hectares”, said Engr. Pagunsan.

The seeds distributed are the preferred crops by the ARBs with consideration to their capabilities and market assessment. Those seeds are of those of eggplant, tomato, okra, ampalaya, pole sitao, pechay, squash, upland hongkong and hot pepper.

On the other hand, the component 3 of the project which is the Livelihood Support for Women in Crisis Situation would highlight and empower women ARB’s role in agricultural production. Studies and assessment conducted showed that women are among the vulnerable sector in the society and the stringent measures brought by the community quarantine worsen their situation.

“15 women ARBs who are single parent, widow, senior citizen, head of the household, indigenous people, and person with disability who undertake farming activities but lost their source of income amid the pandemic are among the priorities of the project”, Pagunsan said.

Meanwhile, in an interview with PARPO II Siladan, he said that women should be engaged in the production of highly nutritious agricultural products with focus on High Value Vegetable Production.

“The production of high value vegetable crop in the locality would increase income, enhance livelihood opportunity and promote healthy living” Siladan said.

Other components of the project are Component 1: Support to ARBs as Frontliners in the Food Supply Chain and Component 4: Package of Supplemental Food and Non-Food Items which will overall benefit the 14 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBOs) and 704 poor men and women ARBs in the province of Antique.

The former is a support given to the ARBOs which are considered frontliners in the food supply chain. The DAR provincial office together with the regional and municipal offices shall help the ARBOs in the consolidation, marketing and delivery of their harvests. Their roles also include linking them with institutional buyers, government agencies and consumers outside the province.

The supplemental package containing 4 kgs of rice, noodles, canned goods, mask, vitamins and a bath soap was distributed last May as the preliminary assistance for 254 ARBs.

The project which cost of about P1.8 million came from the realigned budget of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Services Program of the department.