BOKOD, Benguet – The Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-CAR), in line with the function, has assured the municipality to promote agricultural development by providing the policy framework, public investments, and support services, continued support through the provision of agriculture intervention.
In her message during the 113th Founding Anniversary of the municipality, DA-CAR OIC-Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn Dawayan reiterated the support of DA-CAR to the farmers of Bokod is in line with the department’s objective of attaining food security by strengthening production.
“The assistance provided to our farmers in Bokod is in line with the program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for us to provide a food secure nation, and this is the same message of our Secretary Tiu Laurel that we should produce nutritious and affordable agricultural products. The Department of Agriculture will always support improved production and modernization of our agriculture sector and the municipality of Bokod will always be part of that area to be supported by the DA-CAR,” Dawayan said.
Bokod is a producer of high-value crops aside from arabica coffee, heirloom rice, fish, and livestock, including poultry.
In the past years, DA-CAR under the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) has provided both lowland and highland crop planting materials, organic fertilizers, and inorganic fertilizers in support of the vegetable production of the municipality.
Secretary Tiu Laurel has pointed out improved production of the farmers and modernization of the agriculture sector that would uplift the lives of our farmers and fisherfolks as his priorities in managing the agriculture department.
During the founding anniversary activity of the municipality, DA-CAR distributed two chainsaws, one grass cutter, aside from 3 units of knapsack sprayers, 50 packs of 6-in-1 seeds, and 50 bottles of organic liquid fertilizers in support of the coffee production of Bokod.
She relayed to the farmer-beneficiaries of Bokod who are interested in pursuing organic agriculture (OA) or practicing being Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified that the department is ready to assist through various programs and projects related to OA and GAP.
“We will be assisting you through your good agricultural practices since 71 out of 3,331 organic farmers in the region come from the municipality of Bokod. For this year, the Wakal Organic Farmers Association will be provided with agriculture interventions together with the Debonow Farmers Association which will be provided with interventions for their Biodegradable composting facilities under the project of Senator Villar,” the Regional Executive Director stated.
The Wakal Organic Farmers Association was provided with one unit of PISOS, 50 units of crates, 5 rolls of plastic sheets, 450 kilos of molasses, and two rolls of black net, while the Debonow Organic Farmers Association was provided with one unit of Composting facilities for Biodegradable waste amounting P950,000 funded under the DA-BSWM.
The Regional Executive Director encouraged and reminded the farmers of Bokod to avail of other programs offered by DA-CAR that will assist them in attaining better production.
“Aside from these interventions, we are always reminding our farmers like you here in Bokod to register in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture or RSBSA because this will be the basis for interventions available coming from the government, even if you are a farmer but is not registered, then you cannot avail of interventions because, in the past, we do not know the number of farmers particularly here in the region,” Director Dawayan added.
RSBSA is a nationwide registry of all farmers and is the basis for support provision to qualified farmers, aside from RSBSA used as a planning tool for programs to be implemented by the government.
Another program reiterated by the Director for farmers to register in the Farmer and Fisherfolk Development Information System or FFEDIS which collects information from FFEDIS registrants for documentation, planning, reporting, and processing purposes in availing agri-fishery enterprise-related interventions of the department, with the processed data to be shared only with partner agencies for planning, reporting, and other accordance with the mandate of the agency. By JTLlanes
