AGUSAN DEL SUR -- In its quest to modernize agriculture, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga continuously implemented the farm mechanization program.

On July 7-8, 2021, DA-Caraga Regional Corn Program turned-over two units of four-wheel drive farm tractors amounting to P2.45 million each corn farmers association in the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

The recipient of the said tractors was Sta. Irene Sta. Irene Integrated Farmers Association (SIIFARMAS) of Brgy. Sta. Irene in the town of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, and MALCATRIVO Corn Farmers Association of Brgy. Osmeña, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.

“The said interventions were based on the needs of the farmers as stipulated on their cluster development plan to make corn farming more productive and help attain economies of scale,” said Melody Guimary, Field Operations Division Chief of DA-Caraga. 

Ruben Lacasaca, chairperson of the MALCATRIVO said that the equipment they received is a blessing for them, who dream of it for quite some time. “Once this is a dream but now comes to reality, we need farm tractor to fast track land preparation,” he shared.

He added that farm tractor is a big saving for them since a hectare of field using the traditional carabao would take one week to plow but with the tractor, it would take only at most of two hours.

The rent for a carabao and a man would costs around P700.00 a day or a total of P4,900.00 for a week job while on the tractor the payment is only P2,300.00 and it can be done in just two hours. 

“With this farm tractor, our members would be encouraged more to cultivate their land since it is a big sigh of relief from land preparation expenses and more free days to attend to other important matters,” Antonio Martil, Jr., chairperson of SIIFARMAS said.

Earlier, the same equipment had also been distributed to Trento, Agusan del Sur through its recipient Trento Poblacion Corn Farmers Association. 

Regional Technical Director Rebecca Reyes Atega explained that nowadays giving of interventions, not only farm tractor but to include other needs of the farmers is now focused on clusters in line with the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Program or the Bayanihan Agri Clusters (BACs) of the agriculture department. 

“Through clustering, a group of farmers has been organized to maximize the resources of the government and in the process harnessing their potential to be agripreneurs,” Atega stressed

Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo of DA-Caraga said that Bayanihan Agri Clusters (BACs) is one of the 18 key strategies under the One DA Reform Agenda of Secretary William D. Dar. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA-Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Sur)