DAR and NORSU to educate farmers on enterprise dev't

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Cebu Provincial Office has collaborated with Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) in the conduct of a Needs Assessment/Needs Design of the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) project which will benefit 258 sugarcane farmers in Medellin and Bogo, and 780 rice farmers in Toledo, Asturias and Pinamungajan, in the province of Cebu. OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Isaganie Yee and NORSU President Dr. Henry Sojor signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) under the ARCCESS project on April 27 at the DAR Cebu Conference Room.

DAR 7 Regional Director Rodolfo Inson and NORSU Vice President for Planning Research Extension & International Linkages Dr. Peter Dayot witnessed the signing. 

RD Inson said that ARCCESS is the brainchild of DAR Secretary Gil de los Reyes, that, it is an agri-enterprise program which extends assistance to the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs),   “by organizing the important facets of land preparation, harvesting, logistics and marketing”. 

RD Inson enlightened that ARCCESS has two components: First, it is the provision of professional service providers to educate ARBs on the different aspects of enterprise development ; and Secondly, it is the provision of common service facilities or simply providing the ARBs with farm implements and machineries to address production and post harvest-scenarios.

To effectively implement the ARCCESS project, PARO Yee disclosed that DAR ties up with the accredited State University and Colleges (SUCs) who could lend their expertise in conducting the needs and design assessments . In the MOA, NORSU will validate the capabilities of these organizations to undertake such kind of activity and determine the factors that would help improve agricultural yield and eventually increase their income by conducting needs assessment.

There were two approved ARCCESS proposals in the province of Cebu, the enhanced sugarcane production training and development that will cover 162 hectares that will help five ARBOs in Medellin and Bogo, and the other approved proposal for enhanced rice production will cover 830 hectares that will help five ARBOs in Toledo, Asturias and Pinamungajan, Cebu

Under the agreement, NORSU shall conduct the Needs Assessment of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) and Design Assessment of the proposed Enhanced Rice Project to be implemented by the ARBOs namely: Cebu United Farmers Irrigators’ Association (CUFIA) and Bulahan Canlumampao MPC (BUCAMPUCO) in the City of Toledo; the Pundok sa Mag-uuma (PUMAG) and Bago Lunas United Irrigators’ Association (BLUCIA) in the Municipality of Asturias; and the Anopog Paglaum Irrigators’ Association (APIA) in the Municipality of Pinamungajan.

The other ARCCESS project, the proposed Enhanced Sugarcane Production Training and Development will be implemented by the ARBOs namely: San Jose Farmers Multi-Purpose Coop (SAJOMAMCO) and Canhabagat United Farmers Association (CUFA) in the municipality of Medellin, Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma ug Mamumuo Sa Programang Agraryo ( NAMMPRA) , Anonang Norte Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ANARBA) and Hacienda Felomina Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (HFARBA), in the City of Bogo, Cebu.

NORSU President Dr. Sojor, said that their institution surely will support the new collaboration that will benefit farmers community in the implementation of ARCCESS. (FREEMAN)