IMPASUGONG, Bukidnon (PIA)—Adlai farmers will benefit from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) farm productivity program, as it handed over recently a certificate of award for the P2 million financial grant to the local government unit (LGU) of Impasugong through the department’s ‘Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita’ program.

DA Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said this grant will help smallholder Adlai farmers who are tilling an area of half-hectare and below, covering about over 50 hectares of Adlai production from the town’s 13 barangays.

Of the total amount downloaded to Impasugong LGU she said P900K was procured for 12 units Adlai milling machine; PSF-450 foot impulse sealer; foot-stamping plastic sealer; digital and mechanical weighing scales; and packaging materials.

The remaining amount of P1 million will be used as working capital to buy Adlai grits produced by farmers’ groups, to include P100K for trainings to equip them on the best practices in Adlai production and value-adding.

These farmers’ groups include the MAAMA Bontongan, Bulonay, Capitan Bayong, Cawayan, Dumalaguing, Guihean, Hagpa, Impalutao, Kibenton, La Fortuna, Sayawan, and Kalabugao chapters.

With the machinery at hand, Impasugong Mayor Anthony Uy said the farmers can maintain the quality of their Adlai grits which can be directly sold to the LGU through its MEDU (Municipal Enterprise Development Unit) at P100 per kilo, who in turn, will help endorse and sell Adlai products.

"Sometimes our farmers find hard in selling their Adlai grits due to its low-grade quality. But now, with the milling machine they can produce better grits,” the mayor said.

Carlene Collado, Regional Executive Director of DA-10, lauded the farmers' and Impasugong LGU's efforts in obtaining the grant.

He said more assistance is underway as Usec. Evangelista commits to provide two units of hauling vehicles and one unit 90-horsepower capacity tractor in support of Adlai farmers’ marketing system.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Usec. Evangelista said the department sought additional funding through its Enhanced Kadiwa to assist farmers in increasing their income while helping the country in its bid towards food security and sufficiency.

Witnessing the committed agricultural interventions, Evangelista thanked the farmers’ organizations, the LGU, and the MAAMA (Movement and Alliance that Advocate Men in Action)—a federation of Adlai farmers with 2,649 members—for their cooperation and commitment.

Meanwhile, MAAMA Impasugong federation president Sunny Echavia thanked the government for the said financial support.

“The milling machine is a realization of our long-time dream of producing quality Adlai. We will do our best to achieve higher yields in order to meet the demand in the market,” Echavia said.

The 8th Infantry Battalion Commander Lt.Col Anthony Bacus, local government officials, DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance division and Bukidnon provincial operations center officials also graced the event. (DA-10/PIA 10-Bukidnon)