THE P3 million worth of farm machineries distributed to a farmers association in Moises Padilla are seen to boost cassava production in the locality.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino, who led the turnover rites at Barangay Odiong in the southern Negros Occidental locality on Wednesday, February 13, said the machineries included a four-wheel tractor, cassava chipper, and three units of water pump.

Masculino said the support services given to Barangay Odiong Cassava Farmers Association is provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas under its cassava development program, through the assistance of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO).

“The machineries would help the recipient-farmers, who are agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), especially in the land preparation,” he said, adding it can also help the organization generate income through custom plowing, or allowing non-member farmers or associations subject to rental fee.

A huge part of the 30-hectare contiguous farm being cultivated by Barangay Odiong Cassava Farmers Association is devoted to food grade variety of cassava.

The association, composed of 36 farmer-members, delivers up to 30 sacks of fresh cassava twice a week to an institutional buyer in Bacolod City.

In fact, the area is considered a model farm as the association was able to sustain the production on top having the largest contiguous area devoted to cassava in the province.

Through the machineries, OPA hopes that the association can also fully utilize the entire area for cassava production.

Masculino said though project is dole out, OPA will still monitor the implementation specifically whether the machineries have helped boost productivity and profitability of the association.

Masculino, however, said they recognized the need for additional interventions including livelihood projects like free-range chicken dispersal and value-adding trainings.

“Value-adding interventions include processing of cassava cake, flour and other cassava-based products as sources of additional income and livelihood,” he said, adding that farmers can be introduced to credit facility through the Production Loan Easy Access (Plea) program mainly for additional capital.

Meanwhile, also present at the turnover rites was Charmae Antipatia, cassava and corn coordinator of DA Regional Office 6 along with OPA and MAO personnel, and farmer-members of the association.