The Department of Agriculture (DA) continue to provide pump priming economic activities for the farmers. This is to offer the much-needed support in improving their lives.

Recently, DA-Caraga turned-over ₱15 million worth of various interventions for the farmers of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur. OIC-Regional Executive Director Renato P. Manantan handed the certificates of turnover to Municipal Mayor Libertad O. Alameda together with the key of responsibility of the projects.

The purpose of the ceremonial activity is to formally transfer the projects to the 11 Barangays of the municipality of San Agustin namely: Brgy. Gata, Salvacion, Buatong, Buhisan, Kauswagan, Oteiza, Hornasan, Sto. Nino, Pongtod, Pon-on, Janipaan. A total of 26 Farmer Associations received the interventions from the Department.

“We are very grateful for the Department of Agriculture for giving us these interventions. I encourage all the recipients & peoples’ organizations to be good stewards from all they have received. The Local Government of San Agustin will continuously support our farmers through technology transfer and will continuously monitor all the interventions we have received,” said Mayor Alameda.

DA together with LGU San Agustin pursues to strengthen its partnership for the farmers in the municipality. The essence of partnership put in place the needed and suitable interventions in agriculture as DA continues to strengthen farmer organizations through consultations and dialogues.

“A united farmer organization and united LGU is our key to progress. The resources you have received are the fruit of the unified effort of all key players who actively supports the development of the agriculture sector in the locality. I am appealing to all the recipients to take good care of these interventions. We are looking forward that you will be able to testify the successes of the projects you have received,” said Director Manantan.

Janipaan Abaca Farmers Association (JAPO) was one of the recipients of the provision of rubber and abaca planting materials and one unit of water pump. It is an association with 45 members dependent on agriculture as a means of livelihood. In an interview with Isidro Avenido-JAPO President, he was grateful for the projects they received.

“The water pump we received helps us makes us more productive. Today, we are now also earning from the abaca that we planted. We are now selling abaca fiber for ₱80 per kilo, and this gave an additional income to our respective families. We are very thankful for the Department of Agriculture for giving us interventions that can help us and improve our lives,” said Isidro Avenido.

The turned-over projects include: Rubber and Abaca planting materials; Ginger Production; Banana Production; Organic Rice Production; Organic Fertilizer Production; Agro-forestry Plantation; Root crops Production; Carabao Dispersal; Goat Raising; Production of Improve Native Chicken; Fish-Pen Production; Pre & Post Harvest Facilities and Farm to Market Road. These projects were funded by the DA- Bottom-up-Budgeting and DA-Mindanao Rural Development Project additional funds. (Rhea Abao/DACaraga)