THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental - North is capacitating the officers of Hacienda Basag I Farmworkers Association in E.B. Magalona town to become effective managers.

On Tuesday, the agency provided training on parliamentary procedures, data validation and monitoring of projects funded under the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP).

Fourteen officers of the agrarian reform beneficiary organization (Arbo) were present in the onsite activity conducted by the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD).

DAR-Negros Occidental I, in a statement, said this is to develop and improve the knowledge and skills of the Arbo officers in effectively conducting business meetings as part of their regular obligations as managers of their cooperative.

The association is collectively managing the sugarcane farm with a total area of 8.3 hectares located at Barangay Tanza in the northern Negros Occidental locality.

The land was awarded to them by the DAR through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).

Also, DAR-Negros Occidental I is assisting 20 farmer-members in preparing the plan of payments for their APCP loan.

The APCP loan is a project implemented by the agency and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to provide credit to the ARBs at affordable cost, including development assistance and marketing support.

The DAR, through the PBDD, constitutes development and support services interventions by the provision of training programs and construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities, the agency said.

Access to basic social services among ARB-households is also provided to ensure holistic support for the farmer-beneficiaries, it added. (EPN)