Thursday, June 26, 2008 DAR needs P3.6B more for Southern Mindanao Carp lands By Carlo P. Mallo
THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Southern Mindanao would need about P3.6 billion for the distribution of the remaining 40,000 hectares of agricultural land, which is under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).
The DAR central office has initially pegged an estimated budget of P100 billion to wrap up the distribution of agricultural lands in the country within the next five years.
More than one million hectares of agricultural land identified by the agrarian reform department is yet to be subjected to land distribution.
According to Datu Yusoph Mama, regional director of DAR-Southern Mindanao, it would take them another five years to distribute the 40,000 hectares of agricultural land scattered throughout Southern Mindanao.
"But most of these lands are just a little over five hectares to 30 hectares, there are no more vast tracts of lands here that is under the coverage of the Carp," Mama told reporters Wednesday.
Mama added that they have already completed the distribution of privately owned lands, which are more than 50 hectares.
On the shorter term, Mama said that for the five-month extension accorded by Congress to the funding of the agrarian reform program, DAR-Southern Mindanao could deliver the distribution of over 8,500 hectares.
"By December, we will be able to distribute 8,500 hectares here in Southern Mindanao," Mama said.
