THE Department Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North has delivered production assistance to five farmers organizations in the province recently.

This is through its "Passover: Arbold Move to Heal as One Deliverance our Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from the Covid-19 Pandemic" project.

In Manapla town, the Nazareth Farm Workers Association in Barangay Purisima received 38 bags of fertilizers, 19 bags of Urea, 40 packs of ampalaya seeds, and hand shovels, 27 packs of eggplant seeds bundled with rakes, one pack of string beans and a hoe.

The Candelaria Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Barangay Purisima received seven bags of fertilizers, three bags of Urea, six packs of ampalaya seeds and hand shovels, six packs of string beans and hoes.

The Candelaria Farmers Association, also in Barangay Purisima, was given five bags of fertilizers, three bags of Urea, nine packs of string beans and hoes.

In Escalante City, the Hacienda Bongco Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Barangay Jonob-jonob received 10 bags of fertilizers, five bags of Urea, four packs of ampalaya seeds and hand shovels, three packs of eggplant seeds bundled with rakes, 10 packs of string beans and hoes.

The Aliwanay Farm Workers Association in Barangay General Luna, meanwhile, received 15 bags of fertilizers, eight bags of Urea, 14 packs of ampalaya seeds and hand shovels, five packs of eggplant seeds bundled with rakes, eight packs of string beans and hoes.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I Milagros Flores, in a statement, said they are encouraging recipient-farmers organizations to plant so they can provide food to their tables directly from their backyards.

Flores said with or without this pandemic, the intention of the project is to secure the farmers' food source which can be harvested from their backyards rather than just relying on buying at the market.

"They will just have to grow these crops for their consumption thus, minimizing their food expenses," she said, adding that this is one way of being healthy yet economical.

The official further stressed that the project, if coupled with hard work in tilling the land awarded to them through Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp), "can guarantee the realization of the DAR's mission and vision to improve the lives of our agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)."

The production support is given to the farmers for growing of cash crops and vegetables in 500 to 2,500 square meters per ARB taking into consideration their preferences, scale of operation and market demand.

It will cover 7,000 hectares to expectedly benefit 90,839 ARBs nationwide.

For her part, Officer-in-Charge Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Teresita Mabunay said the Arbold project is really positioned to help the ARBs to sustain their daily needs and provide them with food sources.

"We, in the DAR, are concerned with the welfare of our ARBs. So, we provided you with this farm productivity package that will support you in these hard and trying times," she told farmers.