Agri office provides P1-M livelihood aid to 6 groups

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) released last week P1 million livelihood assistance to at least six people's organizations (POs) in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.

DA Regional Executive Director Eduardo Holoyohoy said the livelihood assistance was coursed through the Mindanao Rural Development Program Community Fund for Agricultural Development (MRDP-CFAD).

The MRDP is a medium-term poverty alleviation initiative implemented under the DA. It is funded by the World Bank (WB) and the national government, with the local government units (LGUs) providing equity share while the CFAD is one of the components of MRDP that provides livelihood opportunities to its beneficiaries.

The PO beneficiaries and their respective livelihood assistance are: Tuluan Women's Association for the Rice and Corn Production project, P150,000; pre-post harvest facilities for Dakayakan Women's Association, P150,000; rice production project of Guma-Poblacion B Irrigators Association, P150,000; corn production project of Kahayagan Women's Association, 150,000; rice and corn production projects of New Katipunan Women's Association, 150,000; and, rice mill project of Pisompongan Farmers Association, 250,000.

Holoyohoy called on the POs to exert more efforts and hard work to attain progress in their respective livelihood undertakings.

Meanwhile, the government through the DA is planning to expand the MRDP-CFAD in Luzon and Visayas areas following its successful implementation here in Mindanao. (Bong Garcia)