Monday, May 29, 2017

Caraga RAFC Chair Assumes DA Farmer-Director

Recognizing the significant role of the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC), the Department of Agriculture has empowered them by designating the RAFC Chair as Farmer-Director.

 Farmer Director Pedro Lim at Rosario, Agusan del Sur
During the flag ceremony on May 2, 2017, Caraga RAFC Chair Pedro T. Lim was formally introduced by DA Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James Monteagudo as Farmer-Director for the whole month of May.

The designation of Lim is in pursuant to the Memorandum Order duly signed by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol as a token of recognition and to further strengthen the partnership between DA and RAFC.

As Farmer-Director, Lim will assume the roles and tasks of a DA-RFO Director in the implementation and dissemination of key programs of the agency.

However, their authority shall be limited to non-policy determining activities which should not in any way affect the government accounting rules and procedures as well as the civil service rules and regulations.

The Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) is the mechanism for private and public sector partnership in the development processes of the agriculture and fisheries sectors at the regional, provincial and municipal levels.

AFC now on its 30 years of existence, conducts monitoring and recommends agricultural projects, as well provide policy recommendations for the government decision makers.   

The celebration of May as Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s month is in pursuant to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Special Order No. 88 series of 2005 to give due recognition to the contribution of farmers and fisherfolk in the national development. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)


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DA Caraga Turns-over P20M BUB projects in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur

Road network is vital for development in every human endeavor including the agricultural sector.

Thus the Department of Agriculture continues to implement farm to market roads (FMR) to ease the burden of farmers to deliver their produce to the market.

Recently DA Caraga turned-over an FMR project amounting to more than P19 million to the local government unit of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur funded under the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB).

The said project is the 1.5 kilometers road upgrading of Poblacion to Piglawigan Road jointly funded with the LGU as counterpart.

Aside from road project, DA Caraga also turned-over the completed rehabilitation of the Municipal Agriculture Office warehouse amounting to P1 million.

The said edifice will be the storage area for various inputs and supply for the farmers in the said locality.

Esperanza town mayor Leonida Manpatilan expressed her gratitude to DA for extending its projects and services to her town.

“We are grateful that DA has been a keen in assisting our farmers, thus it contributes to our goal to uplift their lives,’ she said.

DA Caraga Field Operations Division chief Rebecca Atega said that road is vital in agricultural development through faster and convenient delivery of agricultural products.

The town of Esperanza is part of the cluster areas for corn production in the region. Other agricultural crops are also planted in the area such as rice, vegetables and other.

BUB is one of the major government’s reform initiatives aimed at making the national government budgeting process more responsive to local needs. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)


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DA-ACPC Extends SURE Recovery Loan Package for Flood Affected Farmers

Sure and faster way of helping affected small farmers to recover from recent severe flooding in Caraga Region has been given an utmost priority of the government through the Department of Agriculture nowadays.

One of the approach is giving the farmers an access to avail a recovery loan package of maximum to P25,000.00 per borrower without an interest and payable of up to 3 years.

The loan package called the Survival and Recovery (SURE) program will be implemented through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) in coordination with banks, cooperatives and other financial conduits whichever is accessible to the affected areas.

ACPC Administrative Officer Noel Clarence Ducusin said that SURE program is an immediate response of the government to help the farmers for faster recovery from damages incurred due to intermittent weather conditions.

“After Secretary Emmanuel Piñol saw in person the extent of damage on farms during his personal visit here in Caraga Region, ACPC immediately formulated the guidelines for this kind of loan package,” Ducusin revealed.

As per guideline, SURE recovery loan package is extended for small farmers whose farms incurred considerable damaged due to the flood and situated on an area declared under the state of calamity.

Small farmer refers to farmer whose land area is not more than five hectares. The loan package is also open for fisherfolks.

The said loan package is designed to finance the requirements of rehabilitating the farms, and or livelihood activities of fisherfolks to include production inputs, repair of farm or fishery assets, acquisition of livestock or working animals.   

As of writing, 12 municipalities in Agusan del Sur, 3 municipalities in Agusan del Norte and the City of Butuan had been declared under the state of calamity due to Typhoon Auring and the Tail-End of the Cold Front.

Currently, ACPC is awaiting the final lists of affected farmers who may qualify the loan portfolio from the respective local government units to ascertain the needed amount and to give the go signal to the financial conduits to start releasing the loan package. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)


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