MANILA, Philippines — At least P400,000 worth of farm machines and equipment have been turned over to two agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Cagayan, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said over the weekend.
The equipment were given to the Pata Multipurpose Cooperative in Claveria and Nagatatuan Irrigators Association Inc. in Gattaran.
“These farm implements will be used by more than 300 farmers to improve their harvests,” DAR regional director Homer Tobias said.
He urged members of the cooperatives to convince their fellow farmers, especially the agrarian reform beneficiaries, to join organizations and increase ARB membership.
“One of the conditions in our memorandum of agreement is to increase ARB membership in the two ARBOs. We want to make sure that the grants we give will be maximized,” Tobias said.
He said the DAR would provide additional support services to a farmers' organization if its membership is growing.