Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, together with Cagayan Governor Manuel N. Mamba, Region 2 Regional Executive Director Narciso A. Edillo, and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) President Cecilia Borromeo, led the distribution of various agricultural assistance and projects to the provincial government of Cagayan on November 9, 2019.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the LBP turned over Php15,000 cash card, under the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid), to 803 farmer-beneficiaries from the municipalities of Piat, Tuao, Amulung, Iguig, Solana, Alcala, Enrile, and Peñablanca.
Dar said there is Php30-million allocation on SURE Aid for Cagayan. This will benefit 2,000 farmers in the province tilling one hectare and below. He added that soon farmers’ who are tilling more than two hectares, who are most-affected of the falling prices of palay, will receive Php5000 cash assistance.
The province of Cagayan also received Php321 million-worth of hybrid seeds (Php195M for rice and Php126 M for corn) and Php187 million-worth of agricultural machineries, irrigation facilities, and infrastructures.
Secretary Dar said the DA will also formulate a fertilization program to help farmers increase their production and double their income.
He said that the program, dubbed as “Buy 2 Take 2” will focus on providing urea fertilizer to farmers.
“Magbibigay ng certified seeds, training para farmers, kapital at pautang para sa inyo, at dadagdagan pa. P’wede bang lumago ang ani kung walang pataba?” Dar said.
“Magbibigay kami doon sa may alam na kung paano magpalago gamit ang hybrid seeds, free seeds this time,” the agri chief added.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) also awarded Php500,000-worth of projects for the local government of Apari for winning as third place in the Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) to its effective law enforcement, mangrove rehabilitation, and for implementing ludong close season.
BFAR also distributed 65 motorized fiberglass boat and 20 non-motorized boats, 100 gill nets, 30 cast nets, 200 multiple head lines, 100 troll lines, 250 squid jiggus.
Dar also accounted the hardwork of rice farmers to the recent 2.87 percent agricultural growth in the third quarter of 2019.
“We are much inspired and we will do much more to help you become more productive, more competitive, and more prosperous. We have to our best to produce enough food safe and nutritious food for this country to plan for more export,” Dar concluded. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)
