News Feature/ DA’s FMR: Linking Producers to the Market

Whether it’s a myth or not, some would say number 13 connotes bad luck but here in Caraga Region, 13 is a figure of accomplishment.

.Municipal Agriculturist Agapito Taguba and Brgy. Kagawad Maxuel  
Jusain, inspected DA’s FMR project traversing Brgy. Himamaug 
of Taganaan, Surigao del Norte

The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 13 accomplished 13 concrete farm to market roads (FMR) regionwide with a length close to 13 kilometers and with a total project cost including LGU counterpart of more than P194 M.

The implementations of said projects were based on the proposals emanating from the respective LGU recipients and compliance of the required documents.

Of the 13 FMR completed projects, three were implemented in Surigao del Norte particularly in the municipalities of Gigaquit, Taganaan and San Francisco; three in Agusan del Sur in the municipalities of San Francisco, Trento and in Bayugan City; seven in Agusan del Norte particularly in Magallanes, Buenavista, Santiago, Jabonga, Nasipit and Butuan City.

Three of the said FMR were implemented through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the rest were implemented under the respective LGU.

Completion of the projects were respectively funded through the Farm to Market Road Development Program (FMRDP), Caraga Integrated Development Program (CIDP), Support to Emergency and Livelihood Assistance Project 2 (SELAP) and the Bottom-Up-Budgeting now known as Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP).

Maxuel Jusain, a barangay kagawad of Himanaug, Taganaan, Surigao del Norte said that the FMR implemented in their barangay stirred-up the economic activity in their area.

“Kaniadto kining ang imong agi-anan daut kaayo. Way musulod dinhi nga mga sakyanan aron paghakot sa mga abot sa among mga mangingisda ug mga mag-uuma, pero karon nga nia na ning FMR hayahay na gyud” (This is a bumpy area before. No transportation vehicle would come here to fetch the products from our fisherfolks and farmers until the implementation of this FMR. It is such a relief.) Kagawad Jusain said.

He also narrated that prior to the implementation of the FMR, farmers had to carry the burden of paying high labor cost from P30-P40 per bag to the highway but now transport vehicle can traverse freely in the farming communities.

Around 400 households mostly farmers and fisher folks are dwelling in the area and could directly benefit the convenience of the road with an influence area of 339 hectares.

An FMR project funded under DA-SELAP serving the farming 
and fishing communities in Brgys. Banbanon and Diaz,

 San Francisco, Surigao del Norte.

Meanwhile Genaro Jacob , barangay chairman of Banbanon, San Francisco, Surigao del Norte said that with the completion of the FMR in their area traversing the farming communities on one side and beach area in the opposite side sees the opportunity for agri-tourism development.

He added that the implementation of the said FMR eased the burden of the farmers and fisherfolks in delivering their produce to the market while giving convenience to beach goers.

“Mapasalamaton gyod ko sa DA kay dako kaayo ug kaayuhan nga natampo ang kalsada nga among nabatunan”(I am so grateful to DA because the FMR that we have now contributed much for the betterment of our barangay), he concluded.

Overseeing the implementation of the said infrastructure projects is the Engineering Division of DA RFO 13 under the leadership of Engr. Rene Morales.

He said that farm to market road projects of the Department of Agriculture are implemented to provide access of the farm or aqua products to the market. (Aurell P. Arais / RAFID DA CARAGA)

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