Various Farmers Cooperative Association (FCA) in the Provinces of Apayao and Abra are set to improve their production of rice and corn in their planting areas following the distribution of agriculture machineries to the FCA’s through the Corn and Rice program of the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR).
In the formal turn-over of agricultural machineries at the Research Outreach Station of DA-CAR at Luna, Apayao, Gerardo Banawa, Regional Corn Program coordinator reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to ensure the implementation of guidelines crafted and approved by the FCA’s and the agriculture department.
“This an example of the commitment of President and Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in helping improve the production of rice and corn as part of the food sufficiency initiative of the administration through the provision of agricultural machineries.
For corn, the projected production is seen at 0.5 metric tons per hectare due to better preparation of the soil for planting, while the projected production of corn through the use of water pumps is seen at 0.5 metric tons per hectare because of the availability of water for irrigation,” Banawa said.
Under the rice program, the Malayugan Rice Granary Association (MRGA) received a unit of a 40 Horse Power (HP) 4 wheel drive hand tractor, a combine harvester, and a mechanical hand tractor. The Tanglagan Multi Purpose Cooperative (TMPC), while the Natudyo nga Man’nalon ti San Antonio Farmers Association (NMSAFA) received a 40HP 4 wheel drive tractor.
The Bayog Farmers Association (BFA) was a recipient of a mechanical transplanter, while three units of hand tractors were distributed to the CAJOMA Multi Purpose Cooperative (CMPC), Guinaang Community Farmers Association and the Timpuyog ti Emiliana Malekeg Farmers Association (TEMFA).
In the Province of Abra, 17 FCA’s coming from the municipalities of La Paz, Bucay, Manabo, and Pidigan were identified by DA-CAR to be the beneficiaries of agricultural machineries after complying with the requirements for the said intervention.
Under the corn program, the United Farmers Association (UFA) received a unit of 90 HP 4 wheel drive tractor, while 12 units of water pumps were distributed to 12 selected FCA’s in the Province of Apayao.
Apayao Provincial Agriculture Officer Prudencio Bosing pointed out to the FCA’s the importance of being committed not only in the proper use and operation of the agricultural machineries, but the maintenance and security of the said equipment provided by the government.
“Let us continue our efforts as farmers organizations, FCA’s should ensure that these equipment will be used equally and humanely. The objective of these interventions is to help farmers through their organizations to earn and give them the opportunity to acquire additional agriculture equipment that they need in their farming areas,” Bosing added.
