THIRTY-EIGHT Pampanga farmer cooperatives received P43 million worth of farm equipment as the Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to further boost the local agriculture industry amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar personally handed over the assistance to Pampanga cooperative leaders with Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center early this week. Cooperatives from Magalang, Arayat, Floridablanca, Mexico, Lubao, Guagua, Candaba and San Luis attended the event.

The activity is part of the "Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra sa Covid-19," otherwise known as "Plant, Plant, Plant."

Dar underscored the importance of support in increasing the yield of farmers in the region, noting that food production remains crucial amid the pandemic through the “Plant, Plant, Plant” program.

The "Plant, Plant, Plant" program will include expansion of farm areas, rice resiliency project, palay procurement fund for the National Food Authority, expanded SURE Aid and recovery program, social amelioration for farmers and farmworkers, integrated livestock and corn resiliency project, revitalized gulayan project and urban agriculture, coconut-based diversification project and fishery resiliency project.