THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Mafar-Barmm) has turned over 123 units of modern agricultural machineries worth P314.27 million to farmers' cooperatives and associations to boost the agriculture sector in Barmm.
Mafar Minister Abunawas Maslamama said the machineries were turned over to the identified beneficiaries in a ceremony on Thursday, October 23, at the Barmm Government Center in Cotabato City.
Maslamama said the distributed machineries include tractors, precision seeders, combine harvesters, threshers, and mechanical dryers-equipment designed to support farmers from land preparation to post-harvest processing.
The initiative is in partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program that seeks to improve rice production efficiency, minimize post-harvest losses, and uplift the livelihood of farmers.
Maslamama urged the farmers to ensure that the equipment is utilized efficiently and maintained responsibly for the benefit of future generations.
Barmm Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua emphasized that the government's support comes with a shared responsibility.
"These machines are blessings with responsibility. Use them not for a few, but for the many," Macacua urged the farmer-beneficiaries of the farm machineries. (SunStar Zamboanga)