The Department of Agrarian (DAR) in the province of Cebu has provided a capability training program to some thirty (30) agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) belonging to the Ipil Farmers Association (IFA) in the town of Carmen to mitigate the effect of climate change through organic farming.

OIC-Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Louie Naranjo said the 30 IFA farmer-members completed their Organic Farming Technology, a livelihood training program of the DAR being implemented under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) - Sustainable Livelihood Project to benefit the ARBs.

“The livelihood training extended to the association will be of great help in equipping the ARBs with knowledge and skills on organic vegetable farming and it is also meant to help increase their productivity and farm income,” Naranjo said.

The training was also made possible in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the local government unit of Carmen.

IFA President Evangeline Entero extended her heartfelt gratitude to DAR for the training given to them.

“I am truly grateful to the DAR for always giving us such assistance. Since we started this cooperative, the department has given us land and provided support services to strengthen our association," Entero said.

Meanwhile, Carmen Mayor Martin Villamor congratulated the ARBs for having DAR as their partner in their lives.

“With the onslaught of the covid-19 pandemic, the farmers play a vital role in supplying us with foods and proving them training such as this is very beneficial to all of us,” Villamor said.

Other officials present during the graduation ceremony were Ipil Barangay Captain Almeniano Quimco, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Alan Tudtud, DAR Program Beneficiaries Development Division – Sustainable Livelihood Support Program Coordinator Judy Maratas, Agrarian Reform Program Technologists Ma. Hilda Cadigal and Fiel Roz, the development facilitators of DAR’s Carmen cluster; and LGU Carmen Municipal and Barangay Councilors.

Nagbigay kamakailan ang Department of Agrarian (DAR) sa lalawigan ng Cebu ng pagsasanay para sa 30 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) na kasapi ng Ipil Farmers Association (IFA) sa bayan ng Carmen upang maibsan ang epekto ng pabago-bagong klima sa pamamagitan ng organic farming.

Ayon kay OIC-Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Louie Naranjo, ang 30 magsasakang-miyembro ng IFA ay nakapagtapos ng Organic Farming Technology, isang livelihood training program ng DAR na ipinatutupad sa ilalim ng Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) - Sustainable Livelihood Project upang pakinabangan ng mga ARBs.

“Ang livelihood training na ipinagkaloob sa asosayon ay malaking tulong upang magkaroon ng sapat na kaalaman at kakayahan ang mga ARB sa organic vegetable farming upang mapagyaman ang kanilang lupain at makadagdag din sa kanilang kita,” ani Naranjo.

Naidaos din ang training sa pakikipagtulungan sa Department of Agriculture (DA) at sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Carmen.

Taos-puso namang nagpasalamat sa DAR si IFA President Evangeline Entero sa training na ipinagkaloob sa kanila.

“Maraming salamat po sa DAR sa patuloy na tulong nila sa amin. Simula ng itatag namin ang kooperatiba, pinagkalooban nila kami ng lupain at tuloy-tuloy na mga support service upang palakasin ang aming asosasyon,” ani Entero.

Samantala, binati naman ni Carmen Mayor Martin Villamor ang mga ARB dahil sa kasama nila ang DAR sa kanilang mga pamumuhay.

“Sa simula pa lang ng pandemya, malaking papel na ang ginampanan ng mga magsasaka upang matustusan tayo ng pagkain kung kaya’t ang pagkakaloob sa kanila ng ganitong training ay kapaki-pakinabang sa lahat,” ani Villamor.

Ang iba pang opisyal na dumalo sa seremonya ng pagtatapos ay sina Ipil Barangay Captain Almeniano Quimco, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Alan Tudtud, DAR Program Beneficiaries Development Division – Sustainable Livelihood Support Program Coordinator Judy Maratas, Agrarian Reform Program Technologists Ma. Hilda Cadigal and Fiel Roz, ang mga development facilitators ng DAR Carmen cluster; at mga LGU Carmen Municipal at Barangay councilors.