CEBU, Philippines - The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Kapisanan ng Magsasaka, Mangingisda at Manggagawa ng Pilipinas, (KaMMMPi), a farmer’s organization, recently forged an agreement which aims to help increase the productivity of their identified farmer-beneficiaries.
The agreement mandates the BPI to extend financial assistance to small farmers for them to operate their own seed bank that will supply certified seeds of rice to other farmers via equal exchange or barter basis or direct sales. The seedbank will also provide farmers easy access to high quality seeds.
In a report to Agriculture Secretary Bernie G. Fondevilla, BPI director Larry R. Lacson said that the partnership is geared towards promoting the livelihood and welfare of small farmers, particularly in the rain–fed areas, whose only source of income is from palay planting and farm labor.