THE farmer-members of A&G Esteban Farmers Association, an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (Arbo) in Barangay San Miguel in Murcia town, have harvested over 60 cavans of organic rice recently.
The harvested organic rice was the product of the Department of Agrarian Reform's Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) Project under the Major Crop-based Project implemented by the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD).
Rizalina Yuguing, officer-in-charge chief Agrarian Reform Program pfficer of PBDD, said under the CRFPS, farmers have been educated and trained to learn and practice chemical-free technologies to utilize the one-hectare land they have allotted for organic rice production.
Yuguing said the 62 cavans of organic rice will benefit over 50 farmer-members of the organization and that the Arbo's harvest is a manifestation of the project's success.
"The effects of climate change have threatened us. Thus, we are compelled to take immediate steps to counter the problem," the official said, adding that "to address this issue particularly in rural areas, the DAR equips farmers with knowledge to encourage them to venture into organic agriculture also for the community’s sustainability."
The CRFPS project is geared towards building resiliency for agrarian reform communities with an emphasis on enhancing and sustaining the agricultural productivity of farmers organizations as adaptation measures toward farming mechanization.
This is also positioned to support the organizations to increase their farm production, yield better income and to reform their lives as pursuant to Republic Act 9729 or the Climate Change Act.
The Program Beneficiaries Development is a support service delivery component of the DAR that aims to capacitate ARBs and provide them access to salient support services for the productivity of the lands and improvement of their lives.