May 20, 2020 – Notwithstanding e DA-10 eyes 94% rice sufficiency in NorMin amid COVID-19 onslaught conomic backslide due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Agriculture in Region 10 (DA-10) stays optimistic as regard rice sufficiency in Northern Mindanao.

The agency is projecting at least 94 percent rice sufficiency rate this year, an increase of 12 percent target sufficiency from the preceding year.

The projection is pinned considering various mitigating programs implemented by DA-10 to boost rice production in the region.

In May to June this year, the agency is slated to distribute Php407.3 million worth of farm inputs subsidy to an estimated 42,539 rice farmers in Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Camiguin through DA’s Rice Resiliency Project (RRP).

Prior to this, DA-10 already rolled out the distribution of Php128.2 million financial aid to 25,578 eligible farmer-recipients of DA’s Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) and Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF).

The RRP subsidy comprises 206,320 bags fertilizer, 21,452 bags hybrid rice seeds and 58,986 bags inbred rice seeds for distribution to rice farmers regionwide. Inbred rice seeds are mostly funded by DA-PhilRice.

The RRP is part of DA’s Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra COVID-19 (ALPAS COVID-19) quick response measure approved by the IATF to address food security concerns amid the pandemic.

Considering favorable climatic condition, adequate irrigation and appropriate production technologies, the RRP subsidy is forecasted to increase yield of hybrid rice by 1.5 metric tons per hectare and 0.5 metric ton per hectare for inbred rice.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations, Carlota S. Madriaga substantiated the LGUs and the farmers’ roles in attaining the agency’s tripartite endeavor to increase the region’s rice sufficiency rate.

“While DA provides the needed assistance, the LGU and rice farmers are bound to their roles, too. The LGUs are responsible in identifying rightful farmer-recipients, collect and submit documents needed by DA, then spearhead the distribution of the subsidy. The farmers on the other hand should put the subsidy into proper use and adopt appropriate rice farming technologies,” Director Madriaga said, elaborating DA, LGUs and farmers’ interplaying roles.

Key to the attainment of the agency’s goal are close monitoring and evaluation of the RRP implementation, strong partnership with LGUs, seed companies, and commitment of the farmers to adopt appropriate technologies.

“By increasing our rice sufficiency we will be able to lessen rice importation. This, in return, will help our farmers to be more prosperous and profitable” Director Madriaga accounted.

“Our end goal really is to be self-sustaining. That means we have enough rice supply in the local level adequate for local consumption,” she added.

While settling for 94 percent rice sufficiency, DA-10 is confident the region’s 4.6 million inhabitants will not be experiencing rice shortage.

The six percent offshoot of the target sufficiency rate can be filled in through rice importation and consumption of alternative crops such as corn, banana, sweet potato, among others.

“Our priority is to ensure that Northern Mindanao is rice-sufficient, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic holds still. For now, we are looking at expansive rice production by providing optimal farming support to our farmers in the region,” DA-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado said.

“DA-10 will be utilizing all resources on hand to help our rice farmers. With this effort we are hopeful everything will turn out favorably,” Director Collado auspiciously concluded.

To continuously improve the rice industry situation in the region, DA-10 will continuously provide farm inputs subsidy, farm mechanization support, financial and rice production trainings.#

Cagayan de Oro  City, May 19 – Joint verification of documents with the Department of Agriculture Region 10 (DA-10), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and DA-Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Services (DA-BPI-PQS) on the delivery of imported rice from Vietnam, as part in intensifying efforts to ensure sufficient rice supply.

Aside from the Bureau of Custom’s clearance, the cargo truck with a foodlane pass issued by DA, loaded with 600 bags of imported rice, part of the 4,000 bags delivery is owned by an accredited importer.

According to DA-BPI-PQS  NorMin Regional Manager  Manuel A. Barradas, the importer’s documents are in order based on the agency’s issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance and phytosanitary certificate and other pertinent documents.#

To complement its provision of vegetable seeds since the COVID-19 contagion, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado handed 50 packs plant growth enhancer worth Php35,000.00  to the Provincial Local Government of Camiguin represented by Vicente Ligan, Jr., in the presence of High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) Coordinator Kersten S. Pagalan.

With such reinforcement, the island-province is eyed to intensify its production of food amid the ongoing health crisis, as it helps plants become more resistant to insect pests and diseases.

Each packet at 100 grams is good for a one-hectare planting area and can be diluted in about 200 liters (drum) of water and is ideally sprayed once a day during 5:00 A.M.-9:00 A.M or 4:00 P.M. once a plant’s seeds have sprouted. #

The Department of Agriculture in Region 10 thru its Livestock Program turned over seven units automatic egg incubators to the local government units (LGUs) of Jimenez, Baliangao, Ozamis City and Aloran in Misamis Occidental.

Each LGU received 3 units, 2 units and 1 unit incubator, respectively on May 12, 2020.

The agri-livelihood project is granted to the LGUs upon proposal and request from DA-10.

The incubators will be distributed to qualified farmer-associations in the province.

The turnover ceremony was done during the Provincial Consultative Meeting convened by Governor Philip T. Tan in Tangub City.

DA-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado led the turn over ceremony.#

Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, May 18 – Two farmer-cooperatives, in the province of Bukidnon received one unit each of 100-horsepower farm tractor from the Department of Agriculture in Region 10 (DA-10).

The Maray-Maray Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (MARBC) of Don Carlos, Bukidnon and the First Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (FARBECO) of Talakag, Bukidnon received each unit worth P2.5 million for the development of the agricultural sector, specifically the corn production in their locality.

The farm tractor comes with complete implements which include disc harrow, disc plow and trailer.

OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado of DA-RFO 10 said, “the distribution is a component of the Corn Program which aims to increase farmers’ productivity thru farm mechanization.”

RED Collado added, that the equipment is also part of DA’s commitment to mechanize farm work by helping farmers and farmer-associations/cooperatives or local government units in acquiring their own farm machinery.

“After 30 years, it is the first time nakadawat nami ug tractor diin maka benepesiyo dili lang ang mga miyembro apan ang ubang mga mag-uuma sa among dapit,” said Rey M. Mapano, Vice-Chair of FARBECO.

[After 30 years, it is the first time we have availed a tractor that would benefit not only the members, but including the non-member farmers in our area.]

FARBECO exists for 30 years now with 209 active members, tilling 407 hectares of corn area in Talakag, Bukidnon.

“Maayo nga ang mga mag-uuma mo mechanize aron dali ang pang-uma busa dako among pasalamat sa DA niining tractor nga nadawat namo,” said Benedicto S. dela Cruz, member of said coop.

[It would be best for farmers to adopt mechanization for efficient farming, that’s why we are thankful to DA for the tractor we have received.]

The MARBC has an existing 140 active members, cultivating around 360-hectare corn area in Don Carlos, Bukidnon.

Noting that not all cooperatives or associations were granted with their request, RED Collado emphasized, “the machineries is a full grant from DA, with no equity. I am requesting you [beneficiaries] to maintain and use the equipment properly.”# (ATCabig)

CdeO City, May 14 – Misamis Oriental farmers will now have greater access to boost their productivity and income through completion of the nearly Php10 million seed storage with warehouse, nested within barangay Lumbia, this city.

Adopting the ‘new normal’ amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Project was officially turned over by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) helmed by OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado to the Provincial Local Government Unit of MisOr thru Governor Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano, in a simultaneous virtual and on-site turnover.

With fund source from the agency’s Corn Program, said facility is primarily built in support to the buffer stocking of corn seeds while ensuring its quality by maintaining its acceptable germination rate through improved seed storage.

“It is high time that we have this turnover, as there are a lot of seeds and fertilizers coming for the province,” Collado, the executive director reported, especially amid the ongoing global health crisis, creating an even more challenge for the so-called food security frontliners.

Lying in an area of 312.5 square meter, with an approximate total capacity of 265 tons at 13,203 bags, in which the cold storage can house 114 tons consisting of 5,658 bags at 20 kilograms per bag while the ambient storage can hold 151 tons consisting of 7,545 bags at 20 kilograms per bag.

“The department will be delivering and storing about 15,600 bags of seeds and fertilizers costing around at Php32.5 million for Misamis Oriental,” he detailed.

As the Project will also be home to DA’s other interventions like rice and high value crops seeds and farm equipment, the agency head elaborated that provision of hybrid and inbred seeds will be directly given to the [municipal] local governments and to be arranged for distribution to farmers.

“The remaining stocks, however, will be stored in said facility,” Collado further said.

In response, Gov. Emano pinned his hope in said Project, as it will address the plight of farmers every planting season, paving easier access to withdraw quality farm inputs.

“We are very grateful for what you [DA] have done for MisOr. I guess this is the time where we will be able to deliver the seeds at the right time,” the provincial governor remarked.

Even he acknowledges that the agency is exerting its efforts of buying the much needed seeds at the soonest time, the challenge is buying them too early and not being able to transport the seeds fast to its intended beneficiaries.

“With the finished Project, the agency precisely addresses the Misamisnon farmers’ stocking needs for seeds to focus and promptly start their planting activities,” Emano concluded. #

The Department of Agriculture-Region 10 (DA-10) is granting a total of 30 automatic incubators worth Php 3 million to farmer-groups, local government units (LGUs) and academe partners in the region through its Livestock Program.

Bonafide beneficiaries from Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental will receive the 500 egg-capacity incubators in May 2020.

The project aims to provide livelihood enterprise to qualified recipients who may engage in balut business, selling of days-old-chicks and production of live chicken or poultry meat.

Each incubator comes with a module of 10 male and 100 female chicken or ducks as start-up agribusiness kit.

Led by Director Carlene C. Collado, DA-10 OIC- Regional Executive Director, the agency turned over on May 11, 2020 a total of 4 units incubator to the qualified recipients in Lanao del Norte.

Two units incubator were given to Lanao del Norte Agricultural College (LNAC) in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, 1 unit each to LGU Tubod for the town’s techno-demo farm and Tago Ranao Farmers Association of said municipality.

According to Virgie V. Cabrera, the Municipal Agricultural Officer of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, eligible recipients of eggs incubator in their town are those assessed and found active, willing and knowledgeable marginalized farmer-groups.

Project recipients are trained on poultry production beforehand by the National Livestock Program of DA and the Bureau of Animal Industry last October 2019.

Provision of egg incubators to farmers in Lanao del Norte is a prelude to DA-supported Halal food production project in the province.

Through this initiative, DA-10 is slated to turn over 11 units egg incubators in Bukidnon, 8 units in Misamis Oriental and 7 units in Misamis Occidental.#(ATalib)

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) kicks off second wave of the Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF) distribution in Misamis Occidental Wednesday, May 13, 2020, as 1,187 rice farmers in the towns of Aloran and Jimenez each gets P5,000 cash aid.

The FSRF is a special subsidy granted by DA to small rice farmers tilling one hectare rice field or lesser in the provinces not covered by the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program of DA.

Misamis Occidental registered a total of 6,544 FSRF-eligible rice farmers who will be duly subsidized P32.7 million worth of financial assistance.

This initiative is set to augment the small farmers’ capacity as they are gearing up for May-June planting season, amid pandemic drawbacks.

“Our rice farmers in Jimenez are extremely delighted with the FSRF. Like many, they are affected by the COVID-19 crisis. To them, this help from DA is so timely especially most of them have now started planting,” said Vima M. Bolanio, Jimenez Municipal Agricultural Officer.

“Surely our farmers’ yield will increase since they now have added means to suffice their farming needs, aside from seeds and fertilizers assistance from DA-10,” Bolanio added.

DA’s farmer-beneficiaries will receive the subsidy in cash through Landbank’s payout system.

Rosafe B. Quiñon, Landbank Account Officer of Ozamiz Satellite Office, said serving the farmers is an all-time mandate of Landbank. Personally, she is glad to be part of the cause helping the farmers in this trying times.

“It is fulfilling to serve our farmers. They are our (COVID-19) frontliners in food production. Without them the entire country will go hungry,” Quiñon said recognizing farmers contribution in the battle against the pandemic.

DA-10 is now fast-tracking the FSRF distribution in Misamis Occidental.

Other 5,357 qualified rice farmers from the towns of Baliangao, Calamba, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Panaon, Clarin, Ozamiz City, Sinacaban, Tudela, Bonifacio and Tangub City, are due to receive the FSRF cash aid this week.# (ATalib)

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)

Aiming for an efficient delivery of the government’s assistance to small rice farmers, the DA-Regional Field Office 10 thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado convened to discuss on the procedures of the Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF) distribution, in the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental in Northern Mindanao.

The Php3 billion national budget on FSRF program is DA’s another immediate intervention to augment the production and needs of small rice farmers affected by the low buying price of palay in effect of the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.

With the program’s cash subsidy of Php5,000 each, farmer-beneficiaries with rice farm area of one hectare and below can also cope up with the emerging global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), the department will continue to distribute the financial assistance amid tight community quarantine (CQ) measures, to qualified farmers identified by the provincial agriculture offices, who are also listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

In a meeting with LBP Acting Marketing Assistant Hazelle D. Ybañez, RED Collado said, with the tight measures in the quarantined areas, the local governments and the municipal agriculture offices (MAOs) of the provinces must have control and anticipate the large number of beneficiaries who will be accommodated each day, conforming physical distancing policy inside the designated banks.

“Considering the huge number of beneficiaries, especially in MisOcc, DA will coordinate with the governor and other government officials, ahead of time to discuss on the program’s processing flow, without defying the LGUs’ CQ protocols,” Collado stressed.

In response to DA’s concern on the CQ measures, LBP has scheduled the list of claimants per day to avoid overcrowding during the distribution.

Ybañez also cited, that its servicing branches have also prepared a separate waiting area far from the counter to accommodate one farmer at a time.

Early this year, 2,620 rice farmers received DA’s first FSRF distribution amounting to Php13.1 million, while the remaining 7,266 farmers from MisOcc (6,544) and MisOr (722) will be expected to line up in the designated LBP branches for the cash assistance, starting May 15.

In a meeting with the municipal agriculture officers in MisOr  and LBP servicing branches, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga stated, that the regional office will give an advance notice in case of possible changes, due to the changing CQ measures implemented by the LGUs between boundaries of the cities and towns in the provinces. #