The said machinery and equipment, consisting of one (1) unit of 4-wheel drive farm tractor, four (4) units of heavy-duty hand tractors, two (2) units of multi-crop threshers, seven (7) units of grass cutters, and four (4) units of power sprayers, were turned over to Canili Farmers MPC, Nonong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Dalugan ARB Cooperative and Bagong Sigla Bagong Pagasa Agrarian Reform Cooperative.
These machines were funded under the agency’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Program and Major Crop (Palay) Block Farm Productivity Enhancement Project.
Brother John also led the confirmation of 30 graduates of the Farm Business School (FBS), Root Crops Class of 2021. FBS is a community-based 25-session learning-by-doing class conducted in three (3) months. The farmers’ class consist of 30 ARBs who are local growers of root crops.
As a bundled program with FBS, the Root Crops Class prepared a 500-square meter “Buhay sa Gulay” farm in Cadayakan, Maria Aurora, Aurora. It is planted with root crops and “bahay kubo” vegetables. The said Class project was formally launched immediately after the confirmation of the FBS graduates.
Brother John said that Buhay sa Gulay project is an urban farming initiative of the DAR to help in supplementing the food requirements of the community as well as source of additional income to them.
The DAR provincial office in Aurora, under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Provincial Government under Governor Gerardo A. Noveras, Office of the Provincial Warden, Aurora Memorial Hospital and the Nagkakaisang Lakas Paggawa ng Dipaculao Aurora Multi-Purpose Cooperative (NALAGDA MPC).
The NALAGDA multi-purpose cooperative is the producer and supplier of commercial rice to the said provincial jail and hospital.
The DAR also has a partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines on Agrarian Production Credit Program. Under this program, a check worth P 625,000 of credit line was handed over to the Abuleg Neighborhood Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative for its rice production.
Also conducted is the oath taking of 13 newly elected Chairpersons of the Barangay Agrarian Reform Councils (BARC) in central Aurora. The BARC assists in mediation and conciliation of agrarian conflicts and issues in their respective barangays. It also helps in the implementation of CARP in their jurisdiction.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO) Joyce Ramones said all of the activities coincide in the celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
“The best way to celebrate CARP’s anniversary is by boosting the lives of our ARBs and the agricultural sector in this community,” Ramones said. (DAR)
