THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), through the Regional Bangsamoro Board of Investments (RBBOI), is establishing a banana plantation to support the livelihood of Teduray farmers in the highlands of Maguindanao.
Lawyer Ishak Mastura, RBBOI chairperson, said the project will be established in collaboration with the Office of Member of Parliament Suharto Ambolodto and the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (Mipa).
Mastura said initially, five hectares of Cardava variety will be planted within the 50-hectare area in Datucampong Banana Plantation.
The RBBOI facilitated the connection between Datucampong Banana Plantation, the new banana investor, and Usman Banana Plantation in Matanog, Maguindanao, which is the source of Cardava nursery and provides technical assistance or skills on the proper method of planting as well as to help them link to market the product.
“I hope that this will encourage other people to go into Cardava planting because there is also available market and good income for Cardava,” Mastura said.
“We are also eyeing future ventures to develop 150 hectares of Cavendish Banana Plantation here in the area that will generate at least 250 jobs, mostly for the local resident farmers,” he added.
Mipa Deputy Minister Guialil Abdulrahman acknowledged the RBBOI, with assistance from Ambolodto, in their efforts of providing such kind of investment initiatives for the indigenous people.
“We are collaborating on the investment opportunities here to help our indigenous residents rise from poverty through the jobs created and other economic activities that will be spurred from this new investment,” Abdulrahman said. (SunStar Zamboanga)