Agri-10 grants KADIWA financial assistance to NorMin LGUs and FCA

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Aiming to extend marketing assistance services in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10), headed by Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, turns over checks under the KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance Program on March 25 to 26, at the agency compound, here.

Spearheaded by the department’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), the local government units (LGU) of Impasugong, Bukidnon and Iligan City received financial support to further capacitate local agri-marketing operations and food distribution.

Of the total project cost amounting to PhP6.25-M, the LGU of Impasugong received a PhP4.5-million (M) check as the first tranche of its PhP5-M grant for the establishment of a trading post. The LGU will provide a counterpart fund of PhP1.25-M, while the remaining PhP500k from the agency will be released upon liquidation of the initial funds.

Meanwhile, the LGU of Iligan City received a PhP4.2-M check for the procurement of transport and delivery vehicles, which will support more efficient food logistics in the area. With an overall project cost of PhP5.25-M, the LGU will provide 25% equity amounting to PhP1.05-M.

With the same goal of enhancing agricultural transport, the Mindulao Farmers Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative from Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental, was granted PhP3.5-M, with a counterpart equity of PhP920,304 from the coop, contributing to the total project cost of PhP4.42-M.

The KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance Program is an initiative of the DA aimed at strengthening food distribution by directly linking farmers and fisherfolk to consumers.

Through financial grants, the DA supports Farmers’ Cooperatives, Associations (FCAs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in improving their capacity to supply to institutional buyers, transport agricultural products efficiently, and to enhance their pre-harvest, post-harvest, and value-adding activities.

By providing direct support to the LGUs and farming communities, the DA-10 continues to empower local agricultural stakeholders, ensuring sustainable food distribution and economic growth in the region.# (EJLG)