Ensuring that agricultural and food production is sustainable the Department of Agriculture (DA) is embarking for a sustainable agricultural mechanization.

DA in partnership with the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) continues to provide and promote farm mechanization.

“The provision of the appropriate postharvest technologies should be strategic and effective in a way that the Department is giving equipment fitted for the needs of every farmer association. That is why we need to conduct validation in every request that we received, Associations to comply with the minimum requirements, most of all, coordination with respective Municipal Agriculture Offices is very vital”, said Rebecca R. Atega, Chief Field Operations Division.

The Department does not just look at the technical aspects of farming, it also takes into account the effect on farmer’s outputs, from crop production along the value chain to marketable products and in turn, the impact this has on a farmer’s income.

As such, DA’s support on farm mechanization does not stop on the provision of equipment to eligible farmer groups. But rather the effort continues to promote sustainable mechanization by providing training to farmers in using the equipment and machinery in environmentally-sound agricultural practices.

A three-day training on corn postharvest and warehouse management was conducted last May 7-9. The activity was attended by the farmer leaders, machine operators, and the city or municipal corn coordinators in the region.

“The purpose of the activity was to capacitate the farmer-recipients for them to familiarize on the components and operationalization of vertical dryer and some basic troubleshooting.

The training is highly needed because the equipment that was given is an investment from the government, in return, the recipients should value and take good care what is given to them,” said Engr. Rene Morales, Chief Agricultural Engineering Division.

“The training is our tool on how to operate and manage the entrusted equipment to us. All the things that I have learned from this training should be applied. I am very thankful for the DA for the all-out support that is given to our organization,” said Rencio Valeroso, Chairman- Federation of Corn Growers Association from Carmen, Surigao del Sur. (Rhea C. Abao, Information Section)