Farmers in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato receive 3 farm facilities
Farmers belonging to two farmers’ organizations in the town of Lake Sebu, received three farm facilities worth P2 million from the provincial local government (PLGU) of Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
The first cooperative, the Kibang Multi-Purpose Cooperative received a processing center for their high-value crops, and a ‘bagsakan’ or marketing center.
DAR-SOCCSKSARGEN Assistant Director for Administration and Support Services H. Roldan A. Ali said the processing center was built to prevent the rotting and discard of surplus harvested crops of the farmers, and instead process these into other by-products that the cooperative can sell.
“The reason for building this food processing facility, is we don’t want surplus crops to be thrown away. We still want to convert these crops into other value-added products,” said Ali explaining how through the facility, unsold or wasted vegetables, especially at times of low prices, will be absorbed. He said it will serve as the delivery point of rice, fresh vegetables, and fruits for nearby towns.
Ali said the bagsakan center was constructed to complement the processing center where the farmer-members of Kibang cooperative can sell their crops and products at wholesale and retail prices.
The PLGU of South Cotabato pushed the project because the quarantine against Covid-19 restricted the mobility of farmers and their crops, causing prices to fall to low levels. Agricultural production either stopped or got delayed due to the high cost of inputs.
“Farmers were affected. We need to help them from the production to the marketing of their products,” Ali said.
The second farmer’s cooperative, the Tinugas Multi-Purpose Cooperative, received a fertilizer shed with vermi box for the vermiculture agri-business of the cooperative.
“We are helping our farmers in the production and selling of organic fertilizers by providing a fertilizer shed and vermi box for the propagation of the worms,” Ali said.
Ali said that with the facility, the farmers of Tinugas can now produce more than 500 kilograms of organic fertilizers using the African nightcrawler, a species of earthworm that can produce vermicast faster than any earthworms.
Vermicast is the manure excreted by earthworms and considered pure organic fertilizers.
A week before the turn-over, the DAR conducted training for the farmer-members of both cooperatives. The farmers of Kibang were trained on crops processing and marketing for their agri-business while the farmers of Tinugas were trained on vermiculture and agripreneurship.
At the end of the turnover ceremony, Ali expressed his gratitude to the PLGU for their unending support for the development and welfare of farmers.