BAGUIO CITY – Ten mini multi-tillers were distributed to different farmer group beneficiaries in Benguet, Ifugao, and Mt. Province during the ‘Turn-over Ceremony of Organic Agriculture Interventions’ of the Regional Organic Agriculture Program (ROAP) on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

Cameron Odsey, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera, advised the farmer recipients to evaluate the performance and operating cost of the machines as compared to conventional plowing.
Odsey assured that the department would further support the program if it was determined that the mini multi-tillers are far more efficient.
The provision of the mini multi-tiller machines supports one of the National Agriculture Organic Program’s goals of increasing the volume of organic commodities produced in the region.

The multi-tillers can reduce labor costs and save time and resources for farm land preparation activities.
The machine, which is worth P150,000 each, can plow up to 0.35 hectares per hour with fuel consumption up to 0.75 liters per hour.
Precil Sales, ROAP Focal Person, said ‘the machines that we are distributing now are additional targets this year that were accumulated from our savings. We also want to give the machines to the deserving organic agriculture groups.’
ROAP awarded 16 shredders and 25 greenhouses to different organic agriculture group beneficiaries during the Regional Organic Agriculture Congress in June.
The beneficiaries that each received a multi-tiller machine are TUBIGS (Timpuyog dagiti Umanamong iti BSU Internal Guarantee System); Itogon Integrated Farmers Association; Balili Organic Farmer’s Association; La Trinidad Farmer’s Association (La Organica); Our Farmers Haven-Atok and Atok Organic Practitioners Association from Benguet; St. John Organic Farmer’s Family; Aldattan Ad Pindongan from Ifugao; and Bauko Organic Practitioners Credit Cooperatives (BOPCC) from Mt. Province which received two units.