Saturday, August 18, 2007 Farmers foresee livelihood opportunities
NINETEEN people’s organizations (POs), comprised mostly of farmers and their families in Bohol, have recently gained ownership of water supply and small water impounding projects implemented in their areas.
The water projects are expected to raise the income of farming families in the areas that have been among the top 10 priority towns in Bohol’s poverty map.
Jessilita Espinosa, president of Minol Women’s Association in Mabini, said the group will ensure the sustainability of the water supply project implemented in their community by the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF).
Her sentiments are shared by households who are benefiting from PEF water supply projects in Barangay Lundag, Pilar and Capayas, San Miguel.
Swips
Beneficiaries of small water impounding projects (Swips) implemented by PEF in the first-class municipality of Ubay are just as ecstatic.
Now that the rains have come, the turnover of ownership of the Swips gained more significance. Swips are designed to catch and contain rainwater so farmers will have water for their plants (mostly vegetables) and rice paddies during the dry months.
PEF granted funding assistance to build a level two water system in Minol. The project benefits 126 households in Minol.
PEF also gave grants to install level two water systems in Lundag, Pilar and in Capayas, San Miguel that together directly benefit 119 households.
In Ubay, PEF provided a grant of about P1.6 million to build 20 Swips in water-starved Barangays Camam-bugan, Villa Tere-sita, Gov. Boyles and Tipolo.
The SWIPs benefit a total of 850 farmers or 142 farming households.
The Provincial Government of Bohol welcomed PEF’s assistance to help alleviate poverty in the province.
Meanwhile, the Bol-anon United Sectors Working for the Advancement of Community Concerns (Buswacc), the strategic partner of PEF in the Bohol, awarded a total grant of P2 million to implement water supply projects in Barangays San Pedro in Talibon; Cagongcagong in Alicia; Abanggan, Abapo and Dalisay in Carlos P. Garcia; and El Progreso in Carmen.
Buswacc got funding from PEF.
PEF executive director Veronica Villavicencio said the foundation’s assistance is part of its commitment to help bridge the big gap in terms of access to water.
