Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal (seated, 2nd from left), Undersecretary for Support Services Office, and PNPA Director Eric Noble (seated, 3rd from left) sign the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) memorandum of partnership to link the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and their organizations to institutional buyers and markets.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) forged a Memorandum of Partnership, on June 20, 2023, Tuesday,  held at PNPA Heroes Hall in Silang, Cavite, to boost the livelihood activities of the Caviteño farmers.

The partnership is implemented through DAR’s Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program where agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and their organizations are linked to institutional buyers and markets.

Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, Undersecretary for Support Services Office, said the DAR empowers the ARB by providing them with various support such as technology training and capability building for them to produce quality goods. However, one of the challenges they faced is where to sell their products at a competitive price.

Representatives of the agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) listen during the signing of the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program where ARBs and their organizations are linked to institutional buyers and markets.

“Through the PAHP program, we provide our farmers with established markets for their farm produce. This way, we help them uplift their economic lives and help the government in ensuring food sufficiency,” Cristobal said.

The Caviteño ARBs would supply agricultural commodities to the PNPA which include rice, corn, poultry, various vegetables, and groceries, to name a few.

PMGEN Eric Noble, PNPA Director, said that through this partnership the two agencies can somehow help in addressing hunger and poverty in the area, which are included as root causes of rebellion.

“This partnership is a great strategy in combatting poverty among our farmers. Providing them with an established market ensures them a steady income that can be a source of their daily expenses,” he said.

Noble added that they would help improve this initiative until it becomes a DAR-PNPA nationwide partnership.