CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Rural Agro-Enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) project of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-10 spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony of the 3.4 kilometer farm-to-market road (FMR) in Barangay Kaatuan, Lantapan, Bukidnon. 

Providing coffee farmers with an easier access to the market, the FMR will benefit 1,442 farmers, 627 farmer households and three farmer organizations—Paglambu Landcare Kaatuan Cluster, Palambuon Farmers Association, and Capitan Juan Farmers Association.  

In his inspirational message, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez expressed that the groundbreaking will also open more opportunities to the community with 5,785 residents “through other DTI programs including the Shared Service Facilities or SSF where we provide equipment to increase their production capacities and improve quality, resulting in increased markets, increased sales, and increased job generation.” 

“In addition, they can access more markets through trade fairs and product development under the One Town, One Product NextGen or OTOP NextGen Program.” 

The 3.4 kilometer farm-to-market road is the first FMR to be established by the RAPID Growth Project in Region 10. 

The groundbreaking event was graced by by RAPID National Project Coordinating Office (NPCO)- Project Director Maria Belenda Ambi, DTI Knowledge Management and Information Service (KMIS) Director Patricia May Abejo, DTI Resource Generation and Management Service (RGMS) representative John Lucero, DTI-10 Regional Director Ermedio Abang, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cluster Head Ms. Geneva Hope Beley, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Vic Gaviola, Lantapan Mayor Ernie Devibar, Datu Mapukaw (Talaandig Chieftain), and Datu Migketay (Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative). 

RAPID Growth Project is a value chain based development program which seeks to establish strategic partnership among key players of the focused value chain to achieve the goal of increasing income of small farmers and unemployed rural women and men by providing enabling conditions for the sustained growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and establish strong backward linkages with farmers in the coffee, cacao, coconut and processed fruits and nuts sectors. (DTI-10/PIA-10)