Farmers groups receive farm machineries from DA-PRDP

By Zeny Soriano and Jonie Capalaran

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The Provincial Agriculture Office headed by Mrs. Imelda Inieto, led the distribution of farm machineries to the different farmers’ group in the towns of Pilar, Abucay and Orani.

According to Mrs. Inieto, Bataan and other provinces in Central Luzon affected by typhoon “Lando” in October of 2015, were given the opportunity to submit projects that will provide livelihood to farmers and fisherfolk affected by said calamity.

These livelihood projects, Inieto added, are under the Phil. Rural Development Project (PRDP), a six year project of the Department of Agriculture, World Bank and local government units which focuses on increasing rural incomes and enhance farm and fishery productivity in targeted areas like the province of Bataan and its beneficiaries, by supporting small groups to increase their income productivity and competitiveness in the countryside.

Inieto explained further that the Investment in Rural Enterprise in Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) component of PRDP in Small Livelihood Projects (SLP) aims to provide sustainable income generating activities to farmers and fisherfolk whose livelihood were affected by typhoons and calamities.

The Pilar Organic Farming Organization Inc (POFOI) with 21 member and 87 nonmember farmers received 2 units of mechanical transplanter and 2 units grass cutter; the Talimundoc, Orani Multi-Sectoral Farmers Association with 20 member and 100 nonmember farmers was awarded 1unit mini four wheel tractor with Rotavator and the Capitangan (Abucay) Organic Farmers Marketing Cooperative (COFMACO) with 37 member and 47 nonmember rice farmers was awarded 1 unit multicrop thresher and 1 unit of rice reaper.

The turnover of farm input and machineries was witnessed by Vice Governor Cris Garcia, Mayor Alice Pizarro of Pilar, Board Member Peping Villapando, Engr. Baluyot, Engr. Ric Yuson and ENRO Ubaldo.