BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Department of Agriculture and the provincial government recently turned over High-Value Crop Development Program/Organic Agriculture (HVCDP/OA) interventions to farmer-beneficiaries in the province to help increase their production and income.
Forty-five reservoir tanks were turned over to 22 farmers organizations including five barangays identified by the task force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), 175 bags of commercial complete fertilizers to four farmer associations from ELCAC barangays, and 30 Gulayan sa Barangay projects under the HVCDP.
For the organic agriculture intervention, each of the four farmers from Bauko received 1000L water tank and four received one roll of plastic net each.
Agriculture Program Coordination Officer for Mountain Province Beverly T. Pekas, Board member Joshua B. Fronda, and Executive Assistant John Challoy who represented Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. turned over the equipment to the beneficiaries.
Pekas said the farmers are the real heroes, especially in this time of pandemic and encouraged them to register with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture so they can avail of DA’s programs and projects.
“Your hard work, our cooperation will lead us all to a better life. All of these interventions given by the DA are for you and if you work hard in your garden, you’ll soon realize the fruit of your hard work especially if you bring your products to the market,” Pekas said.
“This is the best time to be a farmer because there are many programs/projects being implemented that benefit the farmers unlike before where there were only few assistance,” she added.
Fronda asked the beneficiaries of the HVCDP and organic agriculture interventions to cooperate and value what they have received and maximize their use to improve their production and for them to move forward.
He also challenged the DA and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to come up with a program that encourages more people, especially the younger generation, to invest in farming.
Challoy thanked the DA for the interventions and relayed the governor’s message to the beneficiaries to use the government assistance properly and make it an opportunity to improve their living condition.
Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (PAFC) chair Ramon Calde also advised the farmer beneficiaries to value and use properly all the interventions that the government has given them and to show that these interventions have greatly helped them.
He also informed the beneficiaries that the PAFC is validating and monitoring the government projects that were downloaded to farmers. – Juliet B. Saley
