DA’s Barangay Food Terminal Boosts Cooperativism

As strong as the tree named Bayug, where Bayugan City got its name, the JCA Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (JARBEMCO) thru test of times still stands strong.

JARBEMCO was organized on April 5, 1999 by virtue of CARP Law initiated by CARP beneficiaries of farm land comprising 303 hectares situated at Sta. Teresita, Osmeña, Hamogaway and Marcelina in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

From its 51 original cooperators, current membership totals to 145 beneficiaries composed of the former workers-employees of the former JCA Rubber Development Corporation.

At first its operation focused on production-based economic operations consisting of rubber, durian, mangosteen and coconut plantations and now it has expanded its plantation coverage with the opening of around 120 hectares of oil-palm, 60 hectares rubber and 6 hectares falcata.

To cater the needs of its workers, JARBEMCO ventured into store operations and it has expanded even more when they availed the Barangay Food Terminal (BFT), a Project of the Department of Agriculture launched last February 9, 2011.

Noralyn Gonzaga, BFT Incharge said that thru Barangay Food Terminal Project, DA provided them various equipments such as 2 cold storage facilities, plastic crates, 3 weighing scales, push cart, plastic tray, styro foam boxes, electronic cash register and cash amount of P100,000.00 as support fund for additional capitalization.

The proponent also raised the said amount of P100T as their counterpart and was used mainly for the procurement of food products such as meat, poultry products, fish, fruits and vegetables.

JARBEMCO’s BFT open up a sure market for local farmers as well as swine raisers around their community where they can sell their produce.

BFT has generated employment having 3 regular employees and 2 on call employees during peak season of the month receiving minimum daily wage.

Gonzaga said that BFT helps a lot for them as workers and employees of the cooperative since they can avail its services including credit where payment will be automatically deducted from their salary while those non-members is bounded with duly signed customer agreement.

Aside from enjoying lower price on goods as compared to Bayugan City market, its customers can enjoy patronage refund and dividends every end of the year, thus an additional benefit for the customers family and cheer up the spirit of cooperativism.

For almost two years in operation, JARBEMCO BFT has manifested a net income of 179,940.53. Henceforth, from these figures, financial indicators are quite promising for JARBEMCO BFT as it faces another challenge in the years to come. (Aurell P. Arais/DA CARAGA)

=-###-=

University on the Air Program for Corn Production Soon to be heard in Caraga Region

Agusan del Norte Provincial Corn Coordinator Oscar Tuyor (left) urged farmers to make use of the radio as a means of learning the right technology on corn production during the mass enrolment in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.

Recognizing the power of radio, the AgriPinoy Corn Program of the Department of Agriculture Caraga taps its potential thru the conduct of the University on the Air (UOA) on White Corn Production.

The University on the Air on White Corn Production radio course will be carried out thru the expertise of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division (RAFID) with the support of its farmcasters from the local government units.

Last April 16-18, 2013 series of the mass briefing and enrolment was conducted in the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte and in Butuan City.

Around 500 farmer-students were officially enrolled in the program in the whole region.

The University on the Air on White Corn Production will be aired one hour per week to start this coming June to August 2013. 

Farmers who were officially enrolled will just tune-in the radio program and learn the lesson based on the course module to be discussed on the air.

The program will be anchored with the respective farm casters with the support of the LGU based corn coordinators.

Outstanding farmer-students will be selected based on their class performance and result of examinations and will be recognized during the mass graduation tentatively set this coming September 2013.

RAFID OIC Rebecca Atega said during the enrolment that radio is the cheapest means of communication and a powerful tool in disseminating the right technology thru reaching the target audiences even in the remotest place.      

Meanwhile Caraga AgriPinoy Corn Program Coordinator Abel Wagas expressed optimism that the University on the Air on White Corn Production could help improve the farming practices.

White corn is being advocated nowadays for human consumption as identified under the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP). (Aurell P. Arais/RAFID DA CARAGA)

=-###=-

Aggie Department Launches Search for Corn Quality Awards

   Caraga AgriPinoy Corn Program Coordinator Abel Wagas explained to LGU 

     corn coordinators the mechanics of the Corn Quality Awards during the

     coordination meeting in Bagarabon, Surigao City.

To push quality and safe corn production in the country the Department of Agriculture AgriPinoy Corn Program launched this year the first and prestigious search in the corn industry dubbed as 2013 National Search for Corn Quality Awards.

The search is open nationwide and is envisioned to recognize the achievement of top performing LGUs with outstanding contribution to the corn industry.

Caraga  Regional Corn Coordinator Abel Wagas said that the search is open to all provincial, city and municipal LGUs, as well as its LGU-based corn coordinators, and agricultural extension workers (AEWs) who are involved in the implementation of the DA Agri-Pinoy Corn Program.

The 2013 Corn Quality Awards will choose top 5 provinces, top 25 cities or municipalities, top 5 provincial corn coordinators, top 25 municipal corn coordinators and top 100 agricultural extension workers. 

The prizes for the winners are: 3 million worth of infrastructure or farm machineries plus plaque for provinces, half million worth of infrastructure or farm machineries plus plaque for cities/municipalities, 20,000 pesos cash prize plus plaque and certificate for provincial corn coordinators, 15,000 pesos cash prize plus plaque and certificate for city/municipal corn coordinators and 10,000 pesos cash prize plus plaque and certificate for agricultural extension workers.

Winning corn coordinators shall come from the chosen top provinces and cities or municipalities while AEWs must be involved in corn related extension activities.

For provincial category, judging will be based on technical requirements such as the corn grain samples and shall comply with minimum Grade No. 3 as per PNS for Shelled Corn. 

Corn farms shall preferably meet the minimum requirements of Good Agricultural Practices for Corn (PNS/BAFPS 15:2008) and Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin in corn (PNS/BAFPS 27:2008) and have yield records for the past 3 yrs based on BAS data an annual average of 3.5 MT/ha for yellow and annual average of 1.5MT/ha for white.

For municipal category, corn grits samples shall comply with minimum Grade No. 4 as per PNS for Corn Grits.

Corn farms shall preferably meet the minimum requirements of Good Agricultural Practices for Corn (PNS/BAFPS 20:2008) and Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of aflatoxin in corn (PNS/BAFPS 27:2008) and have yield records for past 3 yrs based on BAS data an annual average of 3.5 MT/ha for yellow and annual average of 1.5MT/ha for white.

The level of aflatoxin and other quality parameters shall be based on the data obtained during the contest duration.

Interested LGU shall submit letter of intent and other pertinent supporting documents to the Regional Search Committee (RSC) on or before June 15, 2013. Chosen top regional contenders will be endorsed by RSC to the National Technical Committee for evaluation and validation.

Awarding of winners is tentatively scheduled on October 2013 probably in Metro Manila area.

Ensuring quality corn production is not only a responsibility of the Department of Agriculture, but also of other partner government agencies, particularly the Local Government Units (LGUs). (Aurell P. Arais/RAFID DA CARAGA)

=-###=-