P4.4 B for Mindanao farmers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will launch a project that will provide P4.4 billion in support services to some 69,000 farmer-beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao and Central Mindanao.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Jerry Pacturan said the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development Project (MINSAAD), to be undertaken in five years, seeks to improve agricultural production in 11,620 hectares of farmland wherein more than 2,000 hectares would be provided with irrigation facilities, in the hope of increasing income of 69,091 farmer-beneficiaries in 12 settlement areas, 205 barangays and 25 towns in the three regions.

He added that a total of 395.2 kilometers of farm-to-market roads would also be constructed, as well as a total of 952 linear meters of bridges and 58 post-harvest facilities.

“The project is in line with the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) aimed at developing a competitive, sustainable and technology-based agriculture sector to ensure food security, increase farmers’ income, attract investments and generate employment opportunities,” Pacturan said.

He said that the project would also help reduce risk through climate change adaptation and mitigation, and rational use of our agricultural land.

Funded by JICA and the Philippine government, the project would be carried out in cooperation with the Departments of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Public Works and Highways and the National Irrigation Administration, along with local non-government and people’s organizations and the private sector.

“Hopefully, the project, which entails implementation of badly-needed infrastructure projects and the conduct of capacity-building support measures for our farmer-beneficiaries from 2012 to 2016, will help make the agriculture industry sustainable and competitive with our Asian neighbors,” Pacturan stressed.