THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has provided a boost to the livelihood of farmers associations in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay, a DA official announced.
DA Regional Executive Director Rad Donn Cedeño said the beneficiaries of the DA’s assistance are the Pangian Farmers Association in Barangay Pangian, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte and 10 farmers associations and cooperatives from seven rice-producing towns in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Cedeño said the Pangian Farmers Association, who is into Broiler Chicken Raising Project, received Tuesday, August 25, two de-feathering machines to hasten the removal of feathers from chickens.
Cedeño said the provision of the machines is part of the 2019 Special Area for Agricultural Development (Saad) livelihood intervention program in the municipality of Siocon.
He said that during the project visit from the Saad team of the DA regional office, the 2,000 heads chickens on the association’s third rollover now weighs an average of 500 grams.
Meanwhile, he said that the 10 farmers associations and cooperatives in Zamboanga Sibugay received Monday some P36.5 million worth of agri-machineries and technologies from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Component.
He did not name the farmer associations and cooperatives except to say that they are from seven rice-producing towns of Zamboanga Sibugay. The province has a total of 12 towns.
He said the pieces of machinery include 10 units four-wheel tractor; 10 float assist tillers, four walk-behind transplanters, two four-wheel riding type rice planters, one reaper and seven rice combine harvesters.
He said the distribution of the pieces of machinery is to boost the rice production of the farmers’ association-beneficiaries. (SunStar Zamboanga)