DAR allots P1 B for aggie insurance of ARBs

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has announced that the national government has allocated P1 billion for the agricultural insurance coverage of at least 224,036 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) nationwide.

DAR Undersecretary Jerry Pacturan made the announcement during the signing with Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries-Agricultural Insurance Program (ARB-AIP) at the DA central office recently.

Pacturan said the P1-billion agricultural insurance program will be implemented in partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to ensure the productivity of lands awarded to farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

“The program aims to protect agrarian reform beneficiaries against losses due to pest and disease infestations, natural calamities and extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change,” Pacturan said.

Alcala said the program “is consistent with the integrated support service interventions” which the government provides to the ARBs.

Targeted to benefit from the program are 224,036 beneficiaries engaged in rice, corn, high-value commercial crops, and livestock production this year.

“An estimated 137,352 beneficiaries who are into rice and corn production are expected to contribute to a higher count of the total program beneficiaries as they will be under the program’s coverage for two cropping cycles,” Pacturan said.

Under the program, the DAR is tasked to identify qualified CARP recipients as insurance beneficiaries, provide technical support to facilitate credit access, enhance agricultural production, and submit indemnity claims to DA-PCIC through its regional offices, among others.

The PCIC, on the other hand, is responsible for providing agricultural insurance utilizing the P1-billion subsidy solely for the premium payment of coverage of eligible farmers endorsed by DAR.

Both the DAR and the DA shall shoulder their respective administrative and operational expenses to ensure the program’s smooth implementation.