Farmers receive P35-Million agri-machines from DAF-ARMM

SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao — The province’s farmers had until Tuesday queued here for the distribution of P 35 million worth of mechanized farming equipment by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through its Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF ARMM).This was the last time the region’s agriculture agency extended aid to farmers in a forum at the complex here of the DAF-ARMM Information and Area Resource Center (IARC).Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Manny Piñol said aiding the farmers through upgrading the country’s agriculture was the government’s way of rewarding the tillers for literally feeding the country.Regional Agriculture Secretary Alexander Alonto Jr., and Assistant Regional Secretary Eugene Strong met the farmers and led the distribution together Sittie Anida Tomawis Limbona, DAF director for administration.Limbona said Piñol had earlier approved the release of rice farming machinery units worth P 22 million and mechanized equipment for corn crop agriculture worth 13 Million for a total of P 35 Million.The agriculture assistance package consisted of 80 units of rice and corn farm machinery units given to 18 farmer and fishers cooperatives in different parts of the province.Reina Regente Producers Cooperative Hand Tractor with floating tiller Nanungen Mauyag Agriculture Cooperative Hand Tractor with floating tiller Sitio Tumagantang Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Hand Tractor with floating tillerThe recipient farmer beneficiaries wereand Sitio Makaw Farmers and Fisher Folks’ Association - Hand Tractor with floating tiller Sitio Pidtulusan Agri-Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative- Hand Tractor with floating tiller Apo Luminog Farmers’ Association- Portable Rice Mill Sunggilingan Marketing Cooperative - Portable Rice Mill Montod Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative- Electrical Corn MillReina Regente Producer Coopprative- Mechanical Corn Sheller Nunangen Mauyag Agriculture Cooperative Mechanical Corn Sheller Majadiah Farmers’ Association, Potable Irrigator Open Source Salindab farmers’ Association, Potable Irrigator Open Source and Satan Taliawid Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative, Potable Irrigator Open Source.Edna Bajao, alternate focal person for regional rice program, said the machineries for rice farming also included units of Hand-Tractor, Thresher, Floating Tillers, Transplanter, Potable Irrigator Open Source (PISOS), reaper, Combine Harvester and MPDP.Dr. Albert Usman said famer-cooperatives also received corn farm machinery units, specifically, Electrical Corn Mill, Corn Sheller, Cassava grater and Potable Irrigator -Open Source (PISO).Also formed package of the DA assistance to farmers were 1,600 liters of Insecticides 1,600 kilograms Fungicide, and 550 sachets of Rodenticides.The assistance is designed to minimize manpower intervention in farming in a bid to mechanize the country’s agriculture.Dr. Tong Pinguiaman, chief of operations of the DAF-ARMM’s Livestock program, said 116 heads of goat and 994 heads of free range chicken also formed part of the aid intervention to Maguindanao farmers in support to Bangon Marawi Program.Regional officials also had onsite visit of a model irrigation system inside the ARMMIRC complex to assess and evaluate the site. Nash B. Maulana