Munai, Lanao del Norte, May 11 – Three hundred twenty-five rice farmers in said town received cash aid under DA’s Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) through its distribution of reference codes.

Each rice farmer-beneficiary can encash one’s reference code in any MLhuiller outlet, amounting to Php5,000.

RFFA is the government’s financial aid to rice farmers with 0.5 hectare but not exceeding two hectares, who are affected with the liberalization of rice imports in the country through the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.

DA-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) Carlene C. Collado urged the recipients to invest the amount on farm inputs to boost their farm production at the same time sustain their needs, amid the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Instead of spending the money on non-essential goods and activities, it is more important these days to be wise in using the money for food production and help the government improve and develop the agriculture sector of Munai,” he said.

Meanwhile, Munai Mayor Racma D. Andamama, expressed her appreciation with the financial assistance her farmer-constituents have received apart from the previous and pipelined projects of DA-10 for the town.

“We are grateful for having been granted with the agricultural assistance of DA-10, and we hope that the department will continue to give support to our farmers and the locals to utilize Munai’s fertile land, turning it into a food basket of Northern Mindanao,” the mayor said.

Said undertaking is the department’s last leg for its RFFA distribution, rounding up a total of 6,983 rice farmers from the 15 benefitting towns and city, in the province of Lanao del Norte. # (EMB)