A total of 51,704 rice farmers tilling two hectares (or less) farm area from Ilocos Norte received financial assistance from the Department of Agriculture, which forms part of the support extended by national government to improve agricultural productivity in the countryside.
The interventions, amounting to P266.27 million (M) is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide assistance to farmers so they can improve their production and eventually increase their income.
The fund, which benefitted farmers from the municipalities of Dingras, Nueva Era, San Nicolas and Marcos, was sourced from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) which came from the excess tariff of imported rice as mandated by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
On top of the financial subsidy for rice farmers, DA also distributed 6,585 bags of corn seeds in Ilocos Norte to cover 3,292 hectares of corn production area.
The corn seeds, funded under the Corn Production Enhancement Program of CY 2023, which amounts to P36.217M, is intended for this planting season.
Aside from seed assistance, aP3000-fuel subsidy vouchers were also awarded to corn farmers, as well as fishers to be used for machineries used during land preparation for corn production and motorized boats for fishing operations. ### (photos by Alan Jacalan, DA-AFID)
