THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental-South has partnered with the municipal government of Hinigaran and Bagong Silang Farmers Association (Basfa) for the establishment of a farm business school in Barangay Tuguis.
Under its Partnership Development Program pursuant to Republic Act 6657, the DAR is mandated to pursue integrated land acquisition and distribution with support services.
This is to ensure that farmer-beneficiaries are provided with extension services through planting, cropping, production and post-harvest technology transfer as well as marketing and management assistance and support.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lucrecia Taberna, who led the memorandum of agreement signing at the Basfa Social Center in Barangay Tuguis on Thursday, June 22, said the agency is allocating P150,000 for technical and logistics support.
Taberna said other components of the program include farm business school organization and management, capacity development, and tracking, assessment, learning and knowledge sharing.
“The project is mainly aimed at helping farmers to improve their knowledge, adjust their attitudes and enhance entrepreneurial skills in farm business management,” she added.
Under the partnership, the local government will provide technology, technical assistance and capability trainings and seminars. It will appropriate and allocate funds necessary for the actualization of the project, making it viable and sustainable.
The municipal government will also help in identifying livelihood, infrastructure and other services that will benefit the recipient-organization and the community as well.
Basfa, for its part, will provide an area as required for vegetable production or short-term crops. The area should be 500 square meters for each of the enrollee or trainee.
During the launching, the agrarian reform beneficiary organization assured the DAR that it will encourage its members and officers to actively participate in all trainings and seminars, among other activities.