DA rolls out P25.9-M projects to Midsayap town

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato --The
Department of Agriculture (DA) is bringing the government closer to farming and
fishing communities in the countryside as the agency awarded P25.9-million
worth of interventions to farmers and fisherfolks here.Agriculture
Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the distribution, together with top DA officials,
to the local government unit of Midsayap, farmers’ associations, and fishing
communities in the town.

The turn-over
ceremony entitled ‘Naa’y Maayo sa Mayo’ (There is Good in May) was part of
Biyaheng Bukid, which is a series of visits of the agri chief to different
areas in the country.

Under
the agency’s Rice Program, two rice combine harvesters and two mini four-wheel
drive tractors were given.

Almost
50 farmer-groups also received different farm machines worth P8.9-M from the
Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) program to boost their production.

To
uphold peace in the area, two farmers’ associations and four barangays were
given 27 units of pre and post-harvest facilities from the PAyapa at MAsaganang
pamayaNAn (PAMANA) program.

The
Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program also distributed 200
bags of corn seeds and 200 bags of fertilizer were given to the intended recipients.

Fishing
communities in the area also received 34 units of motorized bancas and 80,000 tilapia fingerlings from the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Farmers urged to patronize new
technology

Secretary
Piñol pressed farmers to use new farming technologies introduced by the DA.

We
have to embrace new technologies. We must be open-minded, the agri chief
emphasized.

He
furthered that farmers should forget ‘ancient’ technologies and that the DA is
continuing the delivery of modern farm machines to increase harvest.

As
an example, Secretary Piñol described the situation of farmers in Samar provinces
who used old farming technologies.

During
land preparation, farmers in Samar only used five carabaos to till the area,
and then plant the seeds, then they will only return during harvest time… these
farming practices result to low yield with an average of one to two metric ton
per hectare, he explained.

Aside
from using farm machines, the agri chief mentioned that farmers now should
choose hybrid seeds.

With
the current national average yield per hectare of 4.15 metric tons, Sec. Piñol knew
that the country could not soon achieve rice sufficiency, and that the
utilization of hybrid seeds to rice production areas will elevate the harvest
of farmers.

I
cannot waste government money… I am offering you free hybrid seeds, said by
the agriculture secretary.

He
also instructed Dr. Sailila Abdula, current executive director of the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), to look on the most suitable
variety of hybrid seeds to palay production areas in the town.

Fertilizer loaning program supporting DA’s
‘Masaganang Ani 200’

campaign launched

Planters
Products Incorporated yesterday launched its ‘Abono sa Uma’ loaning program in
M'lang, North Cotabato. Secretary Manny graced the activity as the guest
speaker.

Said
launching activity signaled the commencement of a nationwide fertilizer loaning
program which would allow rice and corn farmers to avail of between six to ten
bags of fertilizers payable after harvest.Secretary
Piñol and PPI President Domingo Duerme led the ceremonial distribution of bags of
fertilizers to the first batch of about 2,000 farmers.

Abono
sa Uma’ program is our initiative to uphold the Department of Agriculture's bid
of increasing rice and corn production in the country under its ‘Masaganang Ani
200’, Duerme said.

Under
the Masaganang Ani 200, the department wants to increase the average yield per
hectare to 200 cavans or ten metric tons for irrigated areas.

PPI
has yet to determine the payment rate of the farmers.

PPI,
a private corporation which was sequestered by government, is placed under the
administrative control of the DA.

In
the official launch of ‘Masaganang Ani 200’ in April this year, Secretary Manny
said that through this initiative the Philippines will be able to stop rice
importation.

Masaganang
Ani 200 is our best option, said Pinol. Next year, we’ll have one million
hectares for hybrid rice to achieve sufficiency.