DAF-ARMM extends help to ethnic Teduray peasants

COTABATO CITY - Hundreds of non-Islamic Teduray families have benefited
from the continuing corn and vegetable seeds dispersal project of the
agriculture department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Khadiguia
Rakman-Abdullah, a senior information and communications staff of the
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) in the autonomous region,
on Saturday said their regional secretary, Makmod Mending, Jr.,
personally led the distribution last Wednesday of the seeds to Teduray
peasants in Barangay Limpongo in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao. Barangay
Limpongo is located at the hinterland tri-boundary of Maguindanao’s
Datu Hofer, Shariff Aguak, and South Upi towns, a centuries-old tribal
settlement of non-Muslim Teduray highland people, whose main source of
income is farming. The
seed distribution initiative was part of the DAF-ARMM’s Armas laban sa
Kahirapan” thrust, which is focused on the delivery of agricultural
services directly to beneficiary-communities in far-flung areas of the
autonomous region. Abdullah
said Mending, speaking on behalf of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, had
promised the Teduray farmers an engine-driven corn shelling machine in
the next tranche of agricultural inputs intended for Barangay Limpongo. The
DAF-ARMM has actively been helping extend technical interventions to
Teduray communities in Maguindanao to improve their productivity and
ensure abundance of food in their homes.