MRDP boosts organic rice and cattle farming in LDN

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – Three coastal towns from this fast-rising province received financial support from the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) of the Department of Agriculture for the implementation of its agricultural projects particularly those on organic rice production and livestock production.

The municipalities of Kapatagan, Lala and Baroy are the latest towns to benefit from this anti-poverty program from the National Government.

Among those who received financial assistance are two farmers’ cooperative and two livestock raisers from Kapatagan; four farmer groups and two livestock raisers in Lala; one farmer’s cooperative from Baroy; and one people’s organization in Tubod.

The seven farmers’ organization each received close to P500,000 as integral support for their organic rice farming. Livestock raisers also received P750,000 for their cattle fattening and halal meat production projects.

Formal turn-over of checks representing the provincial counterpart was held last September 11 and 12, 2012 at Barangay Butadon in Kapatagan; Barangay Rebe in Lala; and Barangay Maliwanag in Baroy.

As of presstime, only 50 percent of the project amount was released to the beneficiary organizations. The remaining balance will be released on the second tranche of the program.

The Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte each contributed 20 percent of the project cost as their monetary counterpart. The remaining 60 percent is taken from the World Bank loan grant.

Present during the turn-over ceremony were Governor Khalid Dimaporo, town mayors, provincial employees, barangay captains, and councilors.

The Mindanao Rural Development Program – Adaptable Program Loan Phase 2 (MRDP2) is a poverty-alleviation initiative implemented through the Department of Agriculture (DA) jointly funded by the World Bank, National Government, and Local Government Units covering Mindanao's 26 provinces and 225 municipalities.

MRDP seeks to further improve rural incomes and achieve food security through agri-fishery infrastructure, livelihood enterprise, and biodiversity conservation projects. (PR)