Department of Agrarian reform (DAR) Secretary John Castriciones stressed their commitment to the development of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and their farm cooperatives.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Castriciones said their agency provides common service facilities like mechanized farming equipment while introducing new farm technologies, which is a testament to their full support to the country’s farmers.
“We aim to help them increase their farm yield especially in this time of the pandemic," Castriciones said.
He noted that this is evident as the said farmers in Anao, Tarlac “are now advancing toward modern rice farming through the grant of P 1.3-million-worth of farm equipment by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)’’.
Castriciones added the “equipment grant” of farm factors were turned over to two farmers’ organizations of the ARBs under the project “The PaSSOver: ARBOld Move to Heal as One Deliverance of our ARBs from the Covid-19 Pandemic”.
On Wednesday Castriciones led DAR officials during the turn over of two 90-horse powered farm tractors with complete farm implements which is expected to benefit more than 800 farmer-members of the two organizations.
Aside from the farm equipment, the agency also turned over personal protective equipment (PPEs) to nine agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs); farm productivity assistance consisting of vegetable seeds and fertilizers to 113 farmers; and rice retailing enterprise to seven women ARBs.
“In the midst of the virus scare, we are carefully following health protocols as we endeavour to help farmers survive the ill effects of the pandemic in their economic lives by providing them with the much needed assistance in crop production,” said DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Emily Padilla.
During the event, Castriciones also distributed certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to 16 ARBs covering 6.4 hectares of agricultural lands in the municipality of Anao.