The Department of Agriculture (DA) is bringing the government closer to farming and fishing communities in the countryside as the agency awarded P25.9-million worth of interventions to farmers and fisherfolks here on June 01, 2017.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the distribution, together with top DA officials, to the local government unit of Midsayap, farmers’ associations, and fishing communities in the town.
The turn-over ceremony entitled ‘Naa’y Maayo sa Mayo’ (There is Good in May) was part of Biyaheng Bukid, which is a series of visits of the agri chief to different areas in the country.
Under the agency’s Rice Program, two rice combine harvesters and two mini four-wheel drive tractors were given.
Almost 50 farmer-groups also received different farm machines worth P8.9-M from the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) program to boost their production.
To uphold peace in the area, two farmers’ associations and four barangays were given 27 units of pre and post-harvest facilities from the PAyapa at MAsaganang pamayaNAn (PAMANA) program.
Aside from using farm machines, the agri chief stressed that farmers now should choose hybrid seeds.
With the current national average yield per hectare of 4.15 metric tons, Piñol knows that the country could achieve rice sufficiency using regular seeds. Thus, he campaigns for the utilization of hybrid seeds will elevate the harvest of farmers.
“I cannot waste government money… I am offering you free hybrid seeds,” said by the agriculture secretary.
He also instructed Dr. Sailila Abdula, current executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), to look on the most suitable variety of hybrid seeds to palay production areas in the town.
Also during the event, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program distributed 200 bags of corn seeds and 200 bags of fertilizer were given to the intended recipients.
Fishing communities in the area also received 34 units of motorized bancas and 80,000 tilapia fingerlings from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). (CULAguillon/LMSalvo/DA-RAFIS 12)
