DA sets P102 M funding for Caraga project

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is setting aside P102 million for a rural development project in Caraga to help reduce farmers’ production losses and eventually alleviate poverty in the region.

The move is part of the agency’s  Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

About 19 of the sub-projects amounting to P80 million are aimed at increasing income and strengthening proponent associations and cooperatives.

The project includes proposals on the production and marketing of seaweeds, banana, milkfish and abaca, and the processing and trading of rice.

Renato Manantan, DA-Caraga regional executive director, said these projects “should not only benefit its direct beneficiaries but also become a venue to enable communities alleviate poverty that even after the project has ended, people will continue to prosper.”

The remaining P22.6 million has been earmarked for infrastructure development in Surigao Del Sur which includes the construction of six watch towers, nine papag dryers, five units all-weather dryers and one warehouse with solar dryer.

“The projects will not only help our farmers and fisher folks but will also sustain the protection of our marine protected areas and fish sanctuaries and will eventually create employment opportunities,” coastal resource management officer Vincent Dueñas said.

DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan added that both projects would support the administration’s goal to enhance agricultural productivity and spur rural developments.

“The DA wants to go back to its basic mandate of producing sufficient food for the nation and these interventions from the PRDP complement the agency’s regular programs to combat rural issues, including food poverty,” Cayanan said.

The six-year PRDP aims to increase rural income and enhance farm and fishery productivity in the targeted areas in the four clusters of North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It is a foreign assistance project between the DA and the World Bank that aims to increase the income of farmers by five percent annually and improve the management of marine protected areas.

In terms of providing funds to LGUs for the infrastructure component, 80 percent will come from loan proceeds from WB while the DA and the LGU will share 10 percent each.

For the enterprise segment, the WB will shoulder 60 percent while cash equities from LGUs and DA will cover 20 percent each.