In its continuous effort to strengthen the government's war against hunger, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental recently facilitated the signing of marketing agreements between the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) district jails, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and four (4) DAR-assisted cooperatives.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said he has included the services of other government agencies to help elevate the welfare of the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

“This move of inviting other government agencies to partner with the DAR is aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s national goal of improving the lives of the farmers,” Estrella said.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal said the partnership agreement is being implemented under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program.

The EPAHP is one of the banner programs of the government to mitigate hunger, ensure food nutrition security, and establish sustainable agriculture by 2030.

Cristobal said the program offers mutual benefits to concerned parties. The BJMP district jails and the AFP would be assured of a steady supply of fresh vegetables for the dietary requirements in their facilities, while the 4 ARB organizations (ARBOs) would have a regular market for their farm produce.

“This partnership will serve as a tool so our ARBs can have an assured market for their products and open opportunities to further expose their products to other target buyers,” Cristobal said.

DAR Western Visayas Regional Director Sheila Enciso expressed her gratitude to the members of the 94th Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division of the AFP for supporting the EPAHP and partnering with the DAR and the ARBOs.

“The four ARBOs are the Barangay Ara-al Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association in La Carlota City, Victory Hills Farmers Association in Kabankalan City, Bagong Silang Farmers Association in Hinigaran, and Sitio Flora Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Kabankalan City,” she said.

Enciso lauded the said collaboration stating that Negros Occidental is the pioneer province in the country to forge a partnership agreement between the ARBOs and the AFP.

Under the said agreement, the 4 ARBOs agreed to ensure the delivery of the required volume of poultry products, fruits and vegetables to the BJMP and the AFP.

Sa patuloy nitong pagsisikap na palakasin ang laban ng pamahalaan sa kagutuman, pinadali kamakailan ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) sa Negros Occidental ang paglagda ng marketing agreements sa pagitan ng Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) district jail, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at apat (4) na DAR-assisted cooperatives.

Sinabi ni DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III na isinama niya ang mga serbisyo ng iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno para makatulong sa pag-angat ng kapakanan ng mga agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

“Ang hakbang na ito ng pag-imbita sa iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan na makipagtulungan sa DAR ay nakaayon sa pambansang layunin ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. na mapabuti ang buhay ng mga magsasaka,” ani Estrella.

Sinabi ni DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal na ang partnership agreements ay ipinatutupad sa ilalim ng programang Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP).

Ang EPAHP ay isa sa mga pangunahing programa ng pamahalaan para mabawasan ang kagutuman, tiyakin ang seguridad ng nutrisyon sa pagkain, at magtatag ng napapanatiling agrikultura sa 2020.

Sinabi ni Cristobal na ang programa ay magbibigay ng parehong benepisyo sa mga kinauukulang Partido. Ang BJMP district jails at AFP ay makatitiyak ng tuluy-tuloy na suplay ng sariwang gulay para sa pangangailangan sa pagkain sa kanilang mga pasilidad, habang ang 4 na ARB organizations (ARBOs) ay magkakaroon ng regular na mamimili para sa kanilang mga ani sa sakahan.

"Ang partnership na ito ay magsisilbing daan upang ang ating mga ARB ay magkaroon ng isang siguradong merkado para sa kanilang mga produkto at magbubukas ng mga pagkakataon para sa ating mga magsasaka para ipakita ang kanilang mga produkto sa iba pang mamimili," ani Cristobal.

Pinasalamatan ni DAR Western Visayas Regional Director Sheila Enciso ang mga miyembro ng 94th Infantry Battalion ng 3rd Infantry Division ng AFP sa pagsuporta sa proyekto ng EPAHP at pakikipagtulungan sa DAR at ARBOs.

“Ang apat na ARBOs ay ang Barangay Ara-al Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association sa La Carlota City, Victory Hills Farmers Association sa Kabankalan City, Bagong Silang Farmers Association sa Hinigaran, at Sitio Flora Agrarian Reform Cooperative sa Kabankalan City,” aniya.

Pinuri rin ni Enciso ang nasabing kolaborasyon at sinabing ang Negros Occidental ang kauna-unahang lalawigan sa bansa na bumuo ng partnership agreement sa pagitan ng ARBOs at AFP.

Sa ilalim ng nasabing kasunduan, ang 4 na ARBO ay sumasang-ayon na titiyakin na maibibigay at maihahatid ang kinakailangang dami ng mga poultry products, prutas at gulay sa BJMP at AFP.