Fish farmers are expected to increase productivity with MAFAR's help
AGRICULTURE • 13:00 PM Wed Jul 28, 2021
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MAFAR ICTS
MAFAR field personnel disperse tilapia fingerlings to fisherfolk-beneficiaries in Sultan Mastura, Maguinanao.
COTABATO CITY - Some Maguindanao fisherfolks are expected to improve productivity and revenue with the intervention from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR).
Some 36,000 tilapia fingerlings were distributed on Friday, July 23, to fish farmers in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao.
Spearheaded by Pendatun Patarasa, assistant to the minister for special concern, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), and through the help of the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, the activity benefited former Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
MAFAR Minister Mohammad Yacob Ph.D said the project was part of the support to Agriculture and Agribusiness Enterprise in Mindanao for Sustainable Development that aims to increase productivity of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihood funded by Korean Government through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
Earlier, Patarasa said in an interview that some 36,000 tilapia fingerlings were also given beneficiaries in Sitio Compra Farmers and Fisherfolks Association of Barangay Bulod, Datu Montawal, 36,000 to Liguasan Inhabitants Consumers Cooperativeand of Barangay Bagoenged, Pagalungan.
Another 36,000 fingerlings to the Tireken Aquaculture Producers Cooperative, in the Brgy. Tambo, Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao this week.
Patarasa said the fingerlings were donated by UN-FAO through the initiative of MAFAR that targets to support indigent barangays by giving residents the opportunity to earn additional income.
“I encouraged our fish farmers to manage well the assistance given to them from the government to increase their production of tilapia and their income, which could also contribute to the growth of the aquaculture industry in the province,” Patarasa said.
Under the leadership of Minister Mohammad S. Yacob, Ph.D and with the help of partner agencies, the program was implemented in the Maguindanao.