NEGROS OCCIDENTAL (PIA) -- The Department of Agrarian Reform beefed up its campaign to mitigate hunger and ensure food security through the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) in Western Visayas.

DAR Support Services Office Assistant Secretary Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, who spoke at the Project Documentation and Validation of ARBOs at the Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, said the objectives of EPAHP Program can be achieved by tapping more Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) and partner agencies to forge marketing agreements.

Cristobal urged the DAR provincial offices to convince more ARB cooperatives and district jails in the region to forge or renew marketing agreement relative to program implementation.

reform beneficiaries in Western Visayas. These include, 6 ARBOs in Aklan, 9 in Antique, 1 in Capiz, 2 in Guimaras, 6 in Iloilo, 15 in northern part of Negros Occidental and 5 in south Negros Occidental,” Taberna added.

Since the implementation of the program, DAR recorded the highest marketing sales in 2021, amounting to P3,263,269.44.

However, due to typhoon Odette and the COVID-19 pandemic, the crops of ARBOs were affected resulting to huge losses in terms of income.

From more than P3.2 million, ARBOs were able to generate income of P283, 054.66 or a devastating drop of 91.33% as of March 25, 2022.

DAR6 regional director lawyer Sheila Enciso, in order to help the ARBOs,  has assured the ARBOs that the agency would remain supportive to the needs of the organizations, wherein, DAR explores all possible interventions or support services including the creation of various linkages or partnerships with public and private agencies that are willing to patronize ARBO products.

The EPAHP is one of the banner programs of the Inter-Agency Task Force Zero Hunger, created under Executive Order No. 101, which DAR entered into partnership with the BJMP for the sourcing of agricultural products from the agrarian reform beneficiaries for the consumption of the Persons Deprived of Liberty. (AAL/EAD/PIA6 Negros Occidental)