DBM releases P534.3M for agri project

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said yesterday that it has released P534.3 million for the implementation of agricultural programs aimed at ensuring rice sufficiency in the country.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said the funds would be used for on-farm and postharvest rice mechanization programs under the Department of Agriculture’s National Rice Program.

Abad said the fund has been released to various regional offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as part of the administration’s goal to make the country rice self-sufficient.

The Aquino administration is targeting to make the Philippines rice self-sufficient by 2013.

The P534.3 million will come from the government’s National Rice Program for the year of P5.217 billion.

Under the National Rice Program, farmers are provided with quality seeds, irrigation, credit and marketing assistance to improve farm productivity and profitability.

The funds will be used for the purchase of hand tractors, seed cleaners, threshers, flatbed dryers and rice mill.

According to the DBM, the fund would be used for site validation and screening of recipients, assistance on the testing and evaluation of on-farm and postharvest rice equipment, including the conduct of its review.

Of the P534.3 million, the biggest allocation will go to Region III with P83.6 million followed by Region VI with P66.4 million, and Region II with P62.1 million.

“To make the country rice self-sufficient, the government is pursuing means to maximize the harvest of every farmer through post-harvest technologies that reduce wastage. This will ultimately lead to more incomes for our farmers. The National Rice Program of the government is in line with the Aquino Administration’s Social Contract commitment to reduce poverty and ensure rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth, especially for those living in the countryside,” he said.