CARMEN, North Cotabato -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Region 12 recently lauded Liliongan Farmers Association of Barangay Liliongan for venturing in agricultural and veterinary supply store to help  their fellow farmers.

Regional Director Mariannie Lauban-Baunto said this agrivet business would cater to the needs of their members and other farmers in the community at a reasonable price.

"We are very happy to know that the support services we extended to them had really made an impact. And now the benefits will also be extended to the community by providing farmers easy access to agrivet supplies," Lauban-Baunto said.

The Regional Director added that Liliongan Farmers Association is one among the many agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations that has become self-reliant because of DAR’s continued support and guidance to them.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Charish Paña said the business venture was an off-shoot of the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP).

"The new venture of the beneficiaries only shows that the CLAAP project is sustainably growing under their care. They were able to manage the swine production project well that earned them enough capital to start the agrivet supply," Paña said.

Project Pointperson Marites Toriaga extended her congratulations to the farmer group and believed that this business would become successful in the very near future because those who operate this store are dedicated and competent farmers.

According to CLAAP Swine Cluster President Merlina Tan, they opened the agrivet supply store with an initial capital of Php16,000.00 out of the savings generated from the CLAAP project given by DAR. (DAR)