To improve quality, prevent postharvest losses and increase the production of rice in Davao region, the Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed farm machineries and equipment to various farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs).

On September 8, Agriculture Secretary William Dar and DA Region 11 Director Ricardo Oñate, Jr. awarded a total of P53.4M-worth of farm machines to 23 FCAs from Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Oriental.

The distributed machineries are part of the mechanization component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which was rolled out in line with the enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law.

According to Secretary Dar, RCEF aims to provide assistance to rice farmers in improving the quality and volume of their yield so that they may increase their income and compete with counterparts in other rice-producing nations.

“This is just the first tranche as we are still using last year’s budget,” the DA chief said adding that the second batch of equipment and machineries will be distributed under the 2020 funding.

“Madagdagan pa po ito this year,” he said.

RCEF, which has P10-billion funding annually, is focused on four major components: mechanization, seed distribution, skills development, and credit.

Speaking to the recipients of the awarded machineries, Secretary Dar stressed that all of the components are aimed at increasing local rice production so that by the end of the season, farmers will earn more and production will stabilize.

Thirteen municipalities from the four Davao provinces received the RCEF mechanization assistance composed of 13 four-wheel tractors, 23 hand tractors, 12 transplanters, 1 precision seeder, 32 floating tillers, 1 reaper, and 13 combine harvesters.

“We are giving the highest priority to food security, as we target to increase productivity in rice from 87 to 93 percent,” Dar said. ### (Adora Rodriguez, DA-AFID)