Nueva Ecija ARB organizations go hi-tech in business operations

CLOSE to a hundred clusters of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Nueva Ecija go high-tech after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has gifted each of 44 of them with a laptop computer and accessories, while 53 others were given an android mobile phone to help enhance and modernize their trading business.

Eden B. Ponio, the provincial agrarian reform program officer, said each cluster was also given a modem for them to gain access to the internet so that they could facilitate their transactions with their trading partners with ease.

Emma G. Gonzales, chairperson of the Punla Multi-Purpose Cooperative based in Barangay Bosque, Llanera, Nueva Ecija, thanked the DAR for the laptop computer given to her organization. Besides the laptop, she also received a mouse, a high-definition multimedia interface cable, extension wire, jack, and modem.

Ponio said the provision of laptops and android mobile phones to the 97 clusters of ARBs were carried out under the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP).

The CLAAP is a technical capacity development program of the DAR aimed at raising the standards of living of the farmer-beneficiaries and developing them into potent partners for nation-building. It was launched by the DAR, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, in January 2018.

“The information and communication technology will help modernize the business operations and outlooks of our agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs). Through it, they can buy farm inputs and sell farm products online with ease,” Ponio said.

She added that the laptops, mobile phones, and modems would help them become more pro-active, capable of initiating, creating, or controlling their trading activities rather than just responding or waiting for when the opportunities come along.

Ponio said the provision of the information technology (IT) equipment is very timely as part of the government’s effort to curb the spread of the disease, especially at this time of the Novel Coronavirus 19 pandemic when people’s mobility is restricted.

Ponio is confident that the ARB clusters would be able to make the most out of the IT equipment as they were provided sufficient training on computer and internet literacy for a webinar, online trading transactions and face-to-face or virtual meetings.

Mga organisasyon ng magsasaka sa Nueva Ecija hi-tech na sa pakikipag-kalakalan

High tech na ngayon ang halos 100 clusters ng agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa Nueva Ecija matapos biyayaan ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) ang 44 sa kanila ng laptop at mga accessories habang binigyan ang 53 iba pa ng android mobile phone upang maiangat at gawing makabago ang kanilang pakikipag-kalakalan.

Ayon kay provincial agrarian reform program officer Eden B. Ponio ang bawat isang cluster ay binigyan rin ng modem upang magkaroon sila ng access sa internet nang sa gayon ay magawa nilang makipag-kalakalan sa kanilang mga trading partners nang mas maayos.

Nagpasalamat si Emma G. Gonzales, chairperson ng Punla Multi-Purpose Cooperative na naka base sa Barangay Bosque, Llanera, Nueva Ecija, sa DAR dahil sa laptop computer na ibinahagi sa kanyang grupo. Bukod sa laptop, tinanggap din niya ang isang mouse, isang high definition multimedia interface cable, isang extension wire, isang jack at isang modem.

Sinabi ni Ponio na ang pamimigay ng mga laptops at mga android mobile phones sa 97 clusters ng ARBs ay naisinakatuparan sa ilalim ng Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP).

Ang CLAAP ay isang technical capacity development program ng DAR na layuning itaas ang antas ng kabuhayan ng mga magsasakang-benepisyaryo at patatagin sila bilang kabalikat sa pagpapaunlad ng bansa. Inilunsad ito ng DAR, sa pakikipagtulungan sa Department of Social Welfare and Development, noong Enero 2018.

“Ang teknolohiya sa information at communication ay makatutulong upang maging makabago ang pakikipag-kalakalan at pananaw ng mga agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs). Sa pamamagitan nito, magagawa rin nilang bumili ng mga punla at iba pang gamit sa pagsasaka at ibenta ang kanilang mga ani sa paraang online nang mas maginhawa,” ani Ponio.

Idinagdag pa niya na ang mga laptops, mobile phones at modem ay makatutulong din upang maging pro-active ang mga ARBOs na may kakayahang magpasimula at gumawa ng hakbang sang-ayon sa kanilang kagustuhan sa kanilang pakikipag-kalakalan nang hindi na kailangan pang hintayin kung kalian darating ang mga pagkakataong sila ay kausapin ng kanilang mga kasanggang mangangalakal, dagdag niya.

Sinabi ni Ponio na ang pamamahagi ng mga makabagong teknolohiya ay napapanahon bilang bahagi ng pagsisikap ng pamahalaan upang maiwasan ang patuloy na pananalasa ng virus, lalo na sa panahon ngayon ng pandemya na dulot ng Novel Coronavirus 19, kung saan ang galaw ng mga tao ay nalilimitahan.

Kumpiyansa si Ponio na magagawang sulitin ng mga ARB-Clusters ang paggamit sa mga makabagong teknolohiya dahil sila ay napagkalooban ng iba’t-ibang pagsasanay sa paggamit ng computer at kaalaman sa internet sa pagsasagawa ng webinar, online trading transactions at face-to-face o virtual meetings.