CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) has allocated a P500 million credit fund for the implementation of its Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance program across the country, including areas in northern Mindanao declared under a state of calamity caused by typhoon Odette.

“Of the total amount, we have an allocation for Region 10 amounting to P75-M in support of the government’s goal in helping agricultural households badly hit by the typhoon,” said Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado of DA-Regional Field Office (DA)-10.

This, he bared, during a consultation meeting spearheaded by the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division, in the presence of its Provincial Operations Center chiefs, provincial and city/municipal agriculturists.

During the meeting, discussed were the timelines for the submission of the certified list of borrowers, the amount that one could avail, and the requirements to be complied for the release of the funds by the lending conduits of DA-ACPC at a minimal service fee of up to three percent.

Under the SURE Assistance program, small farmers and fishers may borrow with no interest and collateral, while loan amount is payable up to three years, wherein only one borrower is allowed per household.

DA-ACPC Program Development Division Chief and Visayas-Mindanao Head, Noel Clarence M. Ducusin said the loan amount is intended to provide relief and aid in rehabilitating the farming and fishing activities of affected farmers and fishers thru credit for the purchase of production inputs, repair of farm/fishery assets, and acquisition of livestock/work animals.

Priority shall be those farmers and fishers identified and endorsed by the provincial/municipality/city agriculture’s office and are duly registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and FishR.

Of which, their engaged farming and fishing activities were assessed and validated as totally damaged.

Small farmers refer to those who cultivate not more than five hectares of land; raising poultry with 2,000 layers or 5,000 broilers; or rearing livestock (swine-10 sows/50 fatteners; goat/sheep-50 heads for meat and/or dairy; cattle-10 fatteners or 5 breeders; and dairy-10 milking cows/carabaos), while marginal fishers are those operating not more than three-ton capacity fishing vessels within municipal fishing waters.

Also in attendance virtually is DA-10 Regional Technical Director Carlota S. Madriaga said no calamity or pandemic can hinder the services of the agency, especially in these trying times where the agency is needed the most.

“This is our way of helping our small farmers and fisherfolk, as they play a crucial role in ensuring food availability and security in our region,” Madriaga said.

Reportedly, Region 10 has a total of 17,000 affected farmers and fishers due to typhoon Odette. (DA-10/PIA-10)