The Department of Agriculture has turned-over P11 million worth of support interventions to the provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur just in time for their founding anniversaries.
Six million pesos worth of farm machineries was turned-over to the Davao del Norte while P5.2 million in Davao del Sur.
In Davao del Norte, Director Ricardo Oñate, Jr. and Governor Anthony del Rosario led the turnover ceremony of the farm machineries such as pump and engine set, hand tractor with implements, combine harvesters with transport trailer, rice threshers, floating tillers, plastic crates and hauling truck to the 34 farmer cooperatives and associations in the province.
These assistance aims to help local small farmers produce high-quality crops particularly high value crops and rice.
Oñate said the interventions given to the Dabaonon farmers is also a way of extending the department’s gratitude for their exemplary contribution to the agriculture sector citing their accomplishment as this year’s Gawad Saka champion.
“DA will always be there to help you [farmers] in boosting your production through mechanization,” he adds.
Among who received the intervention of a hauling truck worth P1.4 million is the Rehoboth Association in Panabo, Davao del Norte.
Lolita Pinoon, chairman of Rehoboth Association thanked DA for the assistance in their cacao production and marketing project.
“Thank you DA family for the help we received. The truck is a big help for our association to be more productive and successful,” Pinoon said.
Governor Anthony del Rosario also lauded the interventions extended by DA to the farmers in their province.
For Davao del Sur, eight hand tractors worth P109,800 each were given to eight Irrigators Associations (IAs), eight floating tiller worth P83,500 each were given to eight IAS, two open source pumps worth P64,937 each were given to two IAs.
A rice thresher worth P109,537 is turned-over to the municipality of Padada, one combine harvester worth P1.2 million was given to Magsaysay Farmers Cooperative and two hauling trucks worth P1.4 million each were given to Pambansang Mananalon, Mag-uuma, Magbabaul, Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (P4MP) of Padada and Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association (BACOFA) in Bansalan respectively.
The series of turnover undertaken by DA is in line of the 10 point agenda under the Duterte Presidency which points out to the need to modernize the country’s farming sector through provision of farm machineries.
In his previous interview, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said there is a need for mechanization since the absence of rice harvesters and efficient rice processing facilities account for at least 20% of the post-harvest losses.
“Through mechanization farmers can improve efficiency in production as well as reduce postharvest losses and eventually increase their incomes,” Piñol added. (Che D. Palicte DA-11)
