A total of P513 million (M) in funds will be distributed to 102,000 rice farmers of Central Luzon as part of the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program of the Department of Agriculture.
On February 3, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar handed over cash cards from the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) and notices of cash grant from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) during the program’s launch held at the Dinalupihan Civic Center in Bataan.
Under RFFA, Bataan and Pampanga rice farmers can claim their P5,000 cash assistance through Landbank, while Tarlac and Zambales beneficiaries can claim at M’ Lhuillier Kwarta Padala, the partner lending facility of DBP.
“Hindi po kami natutulog sa Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, gagawin po namin ang lahat. And all of these are in partnership with provincial government officials who will also elevate their game and buy palay from the locals,” Dar said.
Aside from the financial assistance, Dar announced that Central Luzon will receive a total of P1.6 billion (B) in interventions from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office this year. These include assistance under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), Solar Power Irrigation System project for rice and high-value crops, Youth Agri-Entrepreneurship program, seeds, and other farm inputs.
“Out of the P1.6 B, Bataan province will receive P276 M,” Dar said.
The Secretary said the interventions are aimed to enable the agriculture sector to attain a 2% growth target.
During the program, the “1Bataan Agriculture Innovation and Technology,” which forms part of the province’s commitment during last year’s Food Summit, was presented to the Secretary.
Part of the presentation highlighted a proposed private and public partnership (PPP) between the provincial government and Agrilever, an Israeli company.
The partnership, which will focus on precision farming, will involve technical assistance on vegetable drip irrigation technology, business and financing services, modern postharvest processing facilities, modern greenhouses for hydroponics and premium vegetables and educational tour.
“Agri-modernization and agri-industrialization are the ways forward,” Dar said.
However, he stressed that aside from improving the production capacity of agricultural stakeholders, the local government must also focus on doubling the income of farmers and fishers.
“Farmers should be part of the agricultural development of the province,” he stressed. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)
