THE Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that four associations of farmers and irrigators in Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte received some P1.4 million worth of farm machinery and inputs from the agency.
Rad Donn Cedeño, DA regional executive director, led the distribution Tuesday, July 27, of the farm machinery and inputs to the four groups of irrigators and farmers in Don Jose Aguirre village, Manukan.
“We give honor to our farmers, our heroes who toil the land and produce food despite the pandemic. It is but right to support and prioritize their needs for livelihood and agricultural production,” Cedeño said.
The four recipient associations of irrigators and farmers are the following: Don Jose Aguirre Farmers Association; Don Jose Aguirre GGBU Framers Association; Bernad Aguirre Communal Irrigators Association; and Sitio San Martin Gardeners Association.
Cedeño said they received a mud boat, water pump, knapsack sprayer, power sprayer, and four-wheel drive tractor from projects funded by the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture, Special Area for Agricultural Development , and High Value Crops and Development Program.
Manukan Municipal Mayor Eugene Caballero expressed gratitude to the DA regional office for the projects and encouraged beneficiaries to continue following good agricultural practices in farming.
“Let us bear in mind that we are given inputs by DA. In return, let us show them our output,” Caballero said.
Provincial Agriculturist Maybelle Bustaliño, Manukan Municipal Agriculturist Ma. Menita Gayapa, DA–Field Operations Division chief, Reynaldo Campomanes, DA –Zamboanga del Norte Agricultural Program Coordinator George Vallente, and other DA staff assisted Cedeño in the distribution of farm machinery and inputs to the recipients. (SunStar Zamboanga)