Agri-Pinoy rice achievers search is on
AGRICULTURE • 03:59 AM Sat Sep 13, 2014
1,290
By:
Edwin Fernandez, LM Salvo, DA-12
COTABATO CITY
(Sept. 12/NDBC) – The search is on for 3rd Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers’
Awards (APRAA) 2014 and the Department of Agriculture (DA-12) is bent on taking
more awards, a DA official today said.
The annual search
encourages the full participation of all local government units (LGUs) involved
in rice production.
Amalia
Jayag-Datukan, DA 12 regional executive director, said highly performing
provinces, cities, municipalities, irrigators’ associations (IAs) and
agricultural extension workers (AEWs) who significantly shared to the
achievement of the department’s Food Self Sufficiency Program (FSSP)
particularly in its Rice Self-sufficiency Program will be recognized.Datukan said the
top 10 provinces will each receive a P4-M project grant, the 48 municipalities
and cities (P1-M project each), 10 IAs (P1-M project), three small water
impounding systems associations or SWISAs (P500,000-project), and 500 AEWs
(P20,000-incentive each).
Last year awarding
ceremonies for APRAA 2013, DA national office conferred P110 million in prizes
from its National Rice Program to 12 provinces, 48 municipalities and cities,
10 irrigators’ associations, three small water-impounding system farmers’
associations (SWISAs), and 496 agricultural extension workers (AEWs).
North Cotabato
province, awarded as one of the top 12 rice producing provinces of the country,
received P4-M worth of project from the DA.
The towns of M’lang,
Tulunan, Midsayap in North Cotabato and Lambayong of Sultan Kudarat were among
the top municipalities. Each of these LGU received P1-M worth of project.
Out of 496
outstanding agricultural technologists, 37 were from Region 12 particularly
from the towns of Midsayap, Kabacan, M’lang, Tulunan, Lambayong and Espranza.
As such, each of them was given with P20,000 cash incentive.
The top provinces,
towns and cities, IAs, and SWISAs will
be chosen based on the followingand incremental rice harvest and average yield
per hectare over 2011 levels, increase if any over 2012 target, amount of
budget devoted to rice projects and initiatives, number of farmers benefited,
and degree of rice seed utilization, among other criteria.
Interested
LGUs and organizations may get in touch with the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers’
Awards regional secretariat (083) 520-0460 (083) 381-0092 and (083) 520-0628
or visit the regional office at Zulueta Street, Koronadal City and look for Ms.
Cecilia S. Parcon. (NDBC)