THE Department of Agriculture (DA) turned over around P8 million worth of budget and equipment to the City Agriculture Office (CAO) and City Veterinary Office (CVO) Monday, April 23, to finance and support projects for farmers and fishermen in the city.
City Agriculturist Leo Brian Leuterio, in an interview, said P2 million will be given to the Talomo Amina Muslim Village Association located in Bangkal and Talomo.
The budget will be allotted for the acquisition of 10 motorized banca and fishing gear as well as the conduct of various trainings.
The other P2 million will go to the City Veterinarian’s Office for different different programs. DA regional technical director for operations Marila Corpus told reporters that P500,000 will be allotted for the Islamic Meat Shop, the other P500,000 will be allotted for the native chicken production and the other P1 million will be allotted for the cattle dispersal.
The first P4 million of the P8 million assistance were given through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan Program (Pamana) of the national government.
Leuterio said the remaining P4 million, which is funding through the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), was used for the acquisition of two hauling trucks worth P2 million each. The trucks were turned over Monday to the Subasta Integrated Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative (SIFMPC) and Biao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (Barbco).
The trucks, which are expected to benefit 500 farmers, will be used to help these cooperatives in the hauling of Cacao beans and support the production and marketing of dry fermented cacao beans.
The two cooperatives, in a ceremonial turnover ceremony, received the keys to the hauling trucks that will be used for the cacao production of 16 clustered cooperatives and farmers organizations. (Precious Hope Bautista and Jayvee Garbonera, NDDU intern, and Sean Belen, Father Saturnino Urios University Intern)