Davao del Norte’s corn program got a boost from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit (DA-RFU)-11 with the turn over of a new farm tractor under the government’s Agri-PNoy Maisan Program.
DA-RFU-11 regional technical director Norlito Agduyeng handed over to Governor Rodolfo del Rosario the 4-wheel drive, pull-type New Holland tractor worth P1.3 million after last Monday’s convocation program at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan, Tagum City.
The governor said the equipment will be a big help to the province’s thrust of mechanizing and expanding the area allotted to corn production.
The DA has identified some 1,966 hectares of land in the province that is suitable for corn production.
However, in 2009 the province only produced some 31,301 metric tons of corn, or about 13 percent of the Davao region’s total production of 225,078 metric tons.
The governor expressed his gratitude to the agriculture department for taking into account the potential of Davao del Norte to expand its land area devoted to corn to be able to contribute to the region’s effort of increasing the production of the country’s second staple food.
The equipment will be available to marginal corn farmers throughout the province. However, priority will be given to areas already identified for corn production, especially in the municipalities of Asuncion, Kapalong and New Corella.
“Most of our farmers don’t have the harrowing equipment to facilitate their land preparation, so this equipment is truly useful,” he said, adding the province is bent on enhancing farm productivity to attain food sufficiency.
Dir. Agduyeng said that in order to address the increasing demand for corn as a staple food and feed for livestock and poultry, the DA through the Agri-Pinoy Program is putting in place several interventions that include production support services like farm machineries, biological pest control and soil amelioration, etc., irrigation development, post harvest facilities, research and development, and marketing development services.
