Agriculture Secretary William Dar awarded more than P150,000 worth of agricultural intervention to Tebtebba Foundation, through its Chairperson Victoria Tauli-Corpus, as part of the stronger partnership that aims to promote peace and unity in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

During a simple ceremony held at the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office in Baguio City, Dar turned over 1,000 Arabica coffee seedlings, brush cutter, fertilizer, and hermetic bags.

Tebtebba Foundation is an indigenous peoples’ institution established to address the need for heightened advocacy for the rights of indigenous people.

As the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS), Dar is banking on agriculture as the driver of economic development and peace in the Cordillera region.

“We will continue to assist in the efforts of the national government to pursue peace and progress here (in the Cordillera),” Dar said.

The Secretary added that DA will carry out action plans to support developmental efforts for the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province.

On June 19, the Secretary awarded to the Municipality of Sadanga P6.86 million worth of projects under the DA’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program.

“There is now more peace and unity on the countryside in terms of agriculture and rural development,” Dar said. ### (Adora Rodriguez, DA-AFID)