MAASIN CITY,
Southern Leyte, April 8 (PNA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed
PHP238 million worth of agriculture projects and interventions in this province
to boost farm mechanization and improve agriculture production in the province.
Agriculture
Secretary Proceso Alcala and DA Regional Executive Director Leo Cañeda led the
turnover of the farm inputs, machineries, and other projects to the local
government units (LGU) and various farmer associations, as part of the
Technical Consultation with Agri-Pinoy Stakeholders held at the Maasin City
Gymnasium on Wednesday.
These
include 90hp farm tractors for the provincial government of Southern Leyte and
Bontoc Credit Cooperative; cassava grater to St. Bernard local government, and
animal restocking and infusion project for the towns of Hinundayan, Silago, St.
Bernard, Liloan, Libagon, Bontoc, Malitbog, Macrohon, Tomas Oppus and Sogod.
A total of
PHP5.6 million worth of projects under the bottom-up budgeting (BUB) were also
awarded to different local government units.
Farm-to-market
roads under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) were likewise
turned-over to the towns of St. Bernard and Hinunangan amounting to PHP188
million, and to the local government unit of Sogod worth PHP30 million.
Alcala
hailed the proactive stance and unity of the local officials in building and
providing better support services for farmers to increase farm productivity and
improve trading of their local farm products within Southern Leyte province.
Aside from
these, DA committed to provide farm equipment amounting to PHP1.6 million to
various farmers’ associations and cooperatives.
Among the
farmers’ priority equipment are rice tractor, floating tiller, thresher, corn
mill and corn sheller to be made available through farm mechanization program
of the Department.
The
highlight of the activity was the Alcala’s consultative dialogue with farmers
where he heard and tried to address a deluge of farmers’ issues and concerns
while expressing their gratitude to the government for the assistance they have
availed of from DA.
The
technical consultation carried the theme: Sapat, Tama at Akmang Agrikultura:
Tugon sa Pabagu-bagong Klima.
A very
fitting statement to inspire or tickle farmers’ knowledge and abilities on
technologies and innovations that will cushion them against the ill effects of
the El Nino phenomenon.
Technical
staff coming from the regional office shared their knowledge on the realities
and challenges of Philippine agriculture in the advent of ASEAN Economic
Community (AEC); mainstreaming climate change in agriculture thru mitigation
and adaptation initiatives; and, challenges and opportunities for GAP
certification, food safety compliance, and organic agriculture.
JMC/SQM/DA-PR/EGR
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