March 29, 2024

Around 300 farmers from Kabayan, Benguet benefited from the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Program of the Department of Agriculture last May 14.

Aimed at ensuring continuous and unhampered flow of essential food across the country, the DA linked Kabayan farmers to a private buyer from Metro Manila, allowing them to sell a total of 10,000 kilos of assorted highland vegetables such as chayote, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, baguio beans, and cauliflower.

The farmers packed the vegetables into chopsuey packs while the DA-CAR facilitated the transport to Metro Manila by providing three four-ton capacity trucks.

The packed vegetables were hauled by the trucks in Barangay Eddet, Kabayan to Baguio City.

Julie Felix, president of the Eddet Farmers Indigenous Peoples Association (EFIPA), said they coordinated with the DA to assist the farmers in marketing their vegetables during the enhanced community quarantine.

Felix acknowledged the DA for the quick response through the DA’s Kadiwa Express link. The program did not only help them but also the farmers from neighboring barangays.

“Many farmers in our municipality benefited from this program which allowed us to market our produce and at the same time ensure price stability and affordability. Isu nga dakkel iti panagyaman mi iti gobyerno ti daytoy a programa,” she said.

The EFIPA made its first transaction through the Kadiwa Express on May 12 where they sold 2,000 kilos of carrots and cauliflower.

With the continuous transaction, EFIPA member Margie Felix said the program is helping them earn better because markups of traders and transportation costs were reduced. It also provided employment opportunities to farm laborers hired as packers.

Vivian Akibo, another member of EFIPA, hopes the assistance in linking with the market will continue beyond the quarantine period.

Meanwhile, under the DA-ACPC’s Expanded Survival and Recovery Loan Program, 112 farmers qualified and received their loans as of May 15 through the Bashoy Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative and Tawangan ARC MPC which served as lending conduit.

The loan is provided to farmers whose livelihoods were affected by the ECQ due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The loan, amounting to P25,000 has no interest, no collateral, and payable from three to 10 years depending on the arrangement made with ACPC and the lending conduit. – DA-CAR