DA-10, PHilMech boosts rice mechanization efforts in Buk’non

 

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON — Aiming to increase the productivity and crop yield of rice farmers, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO10) through its attached agency, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech), staged a provincial turnover and agricultural machinery distribution for the province of Bukidnon on December 11, at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan, here.

This initiative falls under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program, created through Republic Act No. 11203, otherwise known as the Rice Tariffication Law, promulgated to ensure food security and make the country’s agriculture sector viable, efficient, and globally competitive.

85 units of various production and postharvest machinery and equipment amounting to PhP160.81-million were awarded to 45 qualified farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs) and local government unit (LGU) beneficiaries in Bukidnon province.

The distributed rice machinery included 21 units rice combine harvesters, 19 units four-wheel drive tractors, 10 units power take-off driven disc plow and floating tiller, 8 units of single pass rice mills, 7 units levee makers, 5 units recirculating dryers, and 1 unit Rice Processing System II.

Said beneficiaries are registered rice farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs) with active members and must be accredited by the DA, along with the submission of a letter of intent and resolution from an FCA stating the need for farm machinery.

As counterpart, the agri machinery recipients are expected to adhere to the project’s objectives and operate within the prescribed model. In addition, they are required to provide a shed for the availed machinery, at the same time ensure its sustained functionality.

Supporting the event were DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, Valencia City Mayor Azucena P. Huervas, Mindanao A Cluster Head Edgar B. Testa, Acting Provincial Agriculturist Jacqueline Julia A. Lagamon, Senator Cynthia A. Villar Representative Edna Jangao, and other officials and staff of different LGUs and DA-10.# (EJLG/with reports and photos from Engr. Ian Madjus)