Laguindingan corn farmers receive agri inputs from the DA-10 Corn program.

In time with the wet planting season, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) headed by Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, turned over PhP4.9-million worth of agricultural inputs to corn farmers in Laguindangan, Misamis Oriental, on June 6.

Provided were 300 bags of hybrid white corn, 440 bags of hybrid yellow corn, 590 bags of complete fertilizer, and 2,400 packets of biofertilizer.

Laguindingan Mayor Diosdado T. Obsioma acknowledged the DA-10’s support to the LGU’s initiative in helping corn farmers in the town.

He also urged the local farmers to optimize utilization of inputs granted by the DA to augment their livelihood.

To increase the country’s agricultural production, DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., underscored the importance of strong partnership with the farmers and fisherfolk, and private and public sectors at the ground level.#(CRS/Photo credits: LGU Laguindingan)

BEARCO acquires P6.9-million worth of agri interventions from Agri-10.

DON CARLOS, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) under the leadership of Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan turned over a P3.2-million hauling truck and P3.7-million recirculating dryer to BFI Employees Agrarian Reform Cooperative (BEARCO) on May 28, here.

Don Carlos mayor Ma. Victoria O. Pizarro, together with DA-10 Bukidnon Provincial Operations Center chief Janet D. Lopez, DVM, handed the certificate of turnover to Panchito A. Teruel, BEARCO chairperson.

In his helm of the DA, development of post-harvest systems and improved agricultural infrastructures are among the priority agenda of Secretary Francisco Laurel.

Teruel expressed his appreciation to the DA for its support in scaling up the cooperative’s post-harvest capacity to augment its members’ income.

[Dakong tabang ang mga makinarya nga gihatag sa DA-10 especially during sa first-cropping season sa bulan sa Hulyo ug kini mga panahona kay wet season, pinaagi niini masulbad na ang problema sa post-harvest]

“The machinery granted by the DA is of great help especially during the first-cropping season in July which also happens to be the wet season. With these projects, we can resolve our post-harvest problems and improve the quality of the crops” he said.

The recirculating dryer will provide high-quality dried corn that would sell at a higher price, while reducing losses in the post-harvest process. With their own hauling truck the BEARCO members will be able to save on transportation cost, thus helping them earn higher out of their farm produce.

Mayor Pizarro urged the cooperative to impose guidelines for the maintenance of the projects for sustained impact in the enhancement of agricultural productivity and reduction of post-harvest losses.

The said interventions were appropriated under the Agricultural Machinery, Equipment Facilities and Infrastructure funds of the DA-10’s Corn Program.

The BEARCO is a cooperative of 188 farmers who cumulatively tilled 50 hectares corn, and 15 hectares cassava areas in Barangay Maraymaray in Don Carlos town.#(MPMT)

DA-10 through the Corn program grants a farm tractor unit to KAMADA ARC coop.

BALINGOAN, MISAMIS ORIENTAL- To increase efficiency and productivity in agricultural operations, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) helmed by Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan turned over more than P2.9-million (M) farm tractor to Kabangasan Mapua Dahilig Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (KAMADA ARCC) on May 31, this town.

Weny N. Enterina, chair of KAMADA ARCC received the certificate of turnover for the 90-horsepower farm tractor along with its complete implements such as harrow, disc plow, and trailer.

According to Enterina, the granted machinery brings about numerous benefits that would contribute to the development and sustainability of their cooperative and the agricultural sector in the locality.

Likewise, he expressed his gratitude to the DA for the support which is really needed for their farmer-members planting cassava and corn.

“Sa pagka karun, ang among priority is matabangan nga maka angat pud ang among mga farmer. Pinaagi niining tractor, naa na gyud sila’y magamit sa panahon nga mag trabaho sila sa ilang umahan. Mas maayo man tong traktor kay dali raman makahawan sa yuta ug dali rasad ta makatanum, kaysa e kabaw nga dugay man mahuman,” he said

[As of now, our priority is to uplift the lives of our farmer-members. Through this tractor, they readily now have a machinery unit to help them in their farm work. The [use] of a tractor is much better for land preparation activities, and it paves for an easier and faster way to planting than using draft animals that usually takes a longer time to finish.]

The KAMADA ARCC is now on its 23rd year with a total of 14k members, tilling more than 15k hectares of land for cassava, corn, coconut, and abaca.

As part of their farm tractor availability scheme, coop members and non-members alike must shoulder the cost for the operator as well as gasoline. Accordingly, members must pay the coop 1k and P2k for non-members to muster funds for the unit’s repair and maintenance.

Funded under the DA-10 Corn program, the machinery is expected to scale up the farmers’ capacity and productivity through mechanized farming method.

To increase farmers’ income, DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. emphasizes the importance of a mechanized and modernized agriculture production system in his three-year, eight-point plan for agricultural development.# (RDME)

DA-CRAO monitors sustainable practices in select AMIA villages in Region 10.

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – In a bid to prioritize efficient and sustainable agricultural practices, the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (CRAO) conducts a site monitoring in select Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) villages in Northern Mindanao on May 20-25.

The CRAO team headed by Planning Officer Rae Michael B. Barbosa and DA-10 AMIA team headed by focal person Carmelito R. Lapoot visited the AMIA village sites in Brgy. Liboran, Baungon (Liboran Samahang Nayon Multipurpose Cooperative), barangays Gango, Kinawe, and Kili-og in Libona (Gango Kinawe Community-Based Participatory Action Research Producers Cooperative), and Brgy. Lingion, Manolo Fortich (Bliss Lingion Multipurpose Cooperative), all of Bukidnon province.

Said beneficiaries were recipients of agri-interventions from the AMIA program, such as farm machineries, livestock, seeds, fertilizers and farm tools to help augment their farm production and foster resilience in agriculture.

They were also capacitated on the use of Climate Information System (CIS) which serves as a guide in their farming operations to help develop adaptation strategies and enable farmers to become resilient.

Further, said initiative forms part of the ‘science and information-driven decision making through digitalization,’ which is included in DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr.’s eight-point plan which aims harmonize aid in policy decision making for the agri-fishery sector.# (AMBM/Photos supplied)

Agri-10 together with DA USec Caballero ground breaks the establishment of corn and rice processing centers in Bukidnon province.

DALWANGAN, MALAYBALAY CITY — In its aim to support the post-production systems of two of the region’s top agricultural commodities, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) helmed by Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the establishment of rice and corn processing centers in the province of Bukidnon.

On May 24, DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, with DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Cora A. Dumayaca led the groundbreaking of the two processing centers.

Funded under the agency’s Rice Program, a 900 sq.m. rice processing center, worth over P49-million will soon serve farmers in Barangay Pinatilan, Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Said infrastructure will also include one mechanical dryer set, with a capacity of 10 to 12 tons pet set, as well as one direct-fired biomass furnace with a maximum heat power of 500.

Through said facility, DA aims to strategically improve the efficiency of the rice post-production system, reduce post-harvest losses, thereby ensuring the improved quality of milled rice from the said community.

Meanwhile, a 1,920 sq.m. corn processing center will also soon rise in DA’s Research Center for Upland Development in Barangay Barongcot, Dangcagan, Bukidnon.

Funded through DA’s Corn Program, the corn processing center worth over P98-million, also includes a pre-cleaner and aspirator; 2 mechanical dryer sets, each able to cater 27-30 tons per set; and 2 corn silos with a capacity of around 1,500 to 2,000 tons per set.

Strategically located in the southern part of Bukidnon, the corn facility aims to bolster the needs of local farmers, and foster a more sustainable and efficient production of nearby corn-producing municipalities including Maramag, Don Carlos, Kitaotao, Kadingilan, Kalilangan, Pangantucan, Kibawe, Damulog, and Quezon.

Said interventions are aligned with DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.’s three-year, eight-point plan for a ‘Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas’, which entails the modernization and mechanization of agri-fishery productions, as well as the development and improvement of post-harvest systems and infrastructures throughout the country.

Signifying their support for the project, the groundbreaking ceremony was also participated by Farmer-Director for the month of May, Nilda B. Salas; and DA-10 Provincial Operations Center – Bukidnon chief Janet D. Lopez, DVM with Rice Program focal person Chona H. Nacalaban and Corn Program focal person Richan D. Lacanaria.# (GDA)

Agri-10 officials together with USec for High Value Crops Caballero eyes to bolster high value crops production in Region 10.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Forming part of its bid to enhance agricultural productivity in the region, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) recently facilitated a series of site visit across various production areas of high value crops in Northern Mindanao.

On May 24 and 25, DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, was joined by DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Cora A. Dumayaca, for a tour of strategic production sites for high value crops in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.

According to USec Caballero, the strategic site visits are conducted to assess the region’s current production performance, and determine which aspects in crop production the DA can best intervene and provide support for, with interests in strengthening region 10’s high value crops productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

During her visit to the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, the DA official was briefed on the agri research center’s current research and innovations on potato seed production through tissue culture, as well as the public-private partnerships engaged in by the agency to further bolster the production of said crop here.

As one of the region’s top agricultural commodity, the production of which is also supported by the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the DA, USec Caballero also visited ‘Finca de Garces’, an Arabica coffee farm in Pangantucan, Bukidnon to benchmark on best practices for its sustainable production.

It can be recalled that in 2023, Finca de Garces’ arabica coffee bagged the first place in the recently staged Philippine Coffee Competition, to which the undersecretary expressed optimism for the increased recognition of NorMin coffee growers and producers in the national and international scale.

Also part of the two-day activity were visits to the agency’s Research Center for Hillyland Development and an identified vanilla and cacao intercropping farm at the DA-Agricultural Training Institute Learning Center for Conservation Agriculture with Trees in Claveria, Misamis Oriental; and Flowerland, a PhilGAP certified farm engaged in Malaysian mums production funded by the DA-Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon for a benchmarking activity on the production of ornamental plants in region 10.

Moreover, the said activity is in line with DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr.’s three-year, eight-point plan, which underscores the need for strengthened coordination with farmers and other private stakeholders, and the expansion and improvement of agricultural sites, to achieve a ‘Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas’.

Present in support of the activity were DA-10 Bukidnon Provincial Operations Center chief Janet D. Lopez, DVM; and HVCDP focal person Kersten S. Pagalan.# (MPMT/GDA)

Cabana professionally advances as the Accountant III, as she takes her oath of office administered by RED Pacamalan.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – One newly promoted employee of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) took her oath of office earlier today, Friday, May 31.

Juradin H. Cabana professionally advances as the Accountant III, previously holding the position of Accountant II since November 2019, under the Accounting Section, Office of the Administrative and Finance Division (AFD).

Administering the oathtaking is DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, in the presence of DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations and Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) chair Carlota S. Madriaga.

Further joining the simple ceremony are HRMPSB vice-chair and AFD chief Patrick Ian F. Pedarse, and Skylove A. Sarmiento, HRMPSB member and HR Management Section chief of DA-10. # (JLO)

DA targets for a harmonized analytical procedures for food supply and quality among labs across the country and that of known feed millers.

Exploring more ways toward a consolidated and harmonized analytical procedures across laboratories nationwide and that of known feed millers, a team from the Department of Agriculture – Central Office (DA-CO) visited the DA-Northern Mindanao, particularly its Regional Feed Chemical Analysis Laboratory (RFAL) on Friday, May 24, here in the city of Cagayan de Oro.

With the RFAL directed to provide services to support regulatory functions of monitoring feed millers and retailers in compliance to feed quality standards that are vital for food supply and quality, the brief meeting tackled on the parameters, test methods, equipment used, and potential key areas for further capacity, as some identified major feed ingredient importers are potential buyers of local soybean and sorghum, including cassava and corn.

The DA-CO team is composed of Senior Science Research Specialist Rodolfo N. Panganiban of the National Corn program and Manuel M. Dimalaluan, Agriculturist II under the Office of the Undersecretary for Operations, who also paid a visit to the Regional Soils Laboratory of DA-10, which also offers aid to farmers through the provision of soil and fertilizer tests.

Welcoming them is Joel S. Rudinas, Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project Deputy Director and Integrated Laboratories Division assistant chief, Engr. Elena C. Susaya, and other chemists and chemical technicians of DA-10.#

DA-10 targets improved farmers’ income and food security through the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) program of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) under the headship of Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan convened with the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) to discuss the implementation of the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach (AECA) in Northern Mindanao, on May 21 at the agency compound, in this city.

During the meeting, DA-10 Farmer-Director Nilda B. Salas, F2C2 focal person Gay Nanette M. Aleria, some DA officials and staff, and the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative (LMPC) representatives from Cebu were apprised on the implementation of AECA and its inclusive agriculture value chains on which the foundation’s initiatives are anchored.

According to JGF Consultant Joan Cua Uy, AECA is an eight-step process that aims to teach smallholder farmers so they can acquire business skills for a more sustainable livelihood.

“Through agro-entrepreneurship and leadership training, farmers learn the AECA, which organizes farmers into clusters and guides them in developing a business plan to establish their collective farming enterprise,” she said.

The event also provides an opportunity to validate the current status of AECA implementation in the region, as well as discuss accomplishments and ongoing issues.

As transpired, the Agro-enterprise Performance Plan (AEPP) Roadmap current phase in Region 10’s Organizing and Information Gathering for Business Plan Preparation phase is nearly complete, while the AE Planning for Collective Marketing phase is still in progress.

Meanwhile, Aleria also affirmed the agency’s commitment in advancing the interest and condition of small-scale Filipino farmers and fisherfolk through various agro-enterprise capacity-building activities in line with the F2C2 program and the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).

AECA was introduced by JGF as part of its Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) to help smallholder farmers increase their income through fair supply arrangements with institutional markets like the Jollibee Group.

Furthermore, the team will visit the Lirongan High Value Vegetable Farmers Association (LIHVVFA) in Talakag, Bukidnon, to discuss AECA implementation and prospective market partnerships with LMPC.# (RDME)

DA-10 in collaboration with ACPC spearheads a financial education training for Bukidnon farmers.

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) under the leadership of Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan in collaboration with the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) staged the Kapital at Ipon Tungo sa Asenso (KITA Mo Na!) Financial Education (Fin-Ed) Training, on May 22, in Dalwangan, here.

Held at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex, around 32 farmer loan borrowers from the Philippine International Travel Assistance Center Multipurpose Cooperative (PITAC MPC) joined the activity to learn and understand the financial implications of their decisions and on how to mitigate risks associated with financial management.

Pursuant to DA Department Order No. 7, series of 2023 or the nationwide adoption of KITA Mo Na!, which directs the Regional and Provincial Loan Facilitation Teams (R-LoFTs and PLoFTs) to adopt and implement the Fin-Ed game for ACPC beneficiaries as part of the regular training program of the Department to farmers and fisherfolk.

According to ACPC Information Officer Karlo Abarquez, the KITA MO Na! Fin-Ed game is an educational and interactive simulation game for small farmers, fisherfolk, and livestock raisers which attempts to mimic the real-life events that influence the daily financial decisions of farmers and their families.

“Through this, the participants will learn basic personal financial management skills such as saving, budgeting, managing debt, credit discipline, basic financial services, protection from potential scams, and the rights and responsibilities of financial consumers,” he conveyed.

Meanwhile, PITAC MPC Acting Loan Officer Romel G. Baylomo expressed his appreciation for the activity that equips their loan borrowers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage their finances.

“We express our utmost gratitude to DA and ACPC for providing such valuable training that has a significant impact on the lives of our farmer loan borrowers. The training sessions conducted have proven to be immensely beneficial, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to enhance their agricultural practices and financial management,” he said.

As a gesture of gratitude, Exequias D. Cosido, a farmer-member of Mauswagon Farmers Association (MAFA) said, “Nagpapasalamat ako sa programa ng ating gobyerno, lalo na sa DA at ACPC, sa kanilang tulong at paggabay, partikular sa mga magsasaka na katulad ko nanahaharap sa mga hamong pinansyal upang mapanatili ang aming mga aktibidad sa pagsasaka. Salamat sa training na ito, dahil natutunan ko kung paano gamitin sa hustong pamamaraan ang pera at kung paano maging isang business-minded na tao.”

The KITA Mo Na!, developed by the DA-ACPC, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the BDO Foundation, is an interactive training structured around six key messages for farmers and fishers. These include being wise with debt, increasing income through business ventures and additional skills, saving for the future, being insured to be protected, being critical to avoid scams, and being nurturing to the environment.

Further, said initiative is also anchored on Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr.’s comprehensive plan to make farming and fisheries a more bankable investment industry.

Same activity was also conducted in Balingoan, Misamis Oriental the following day for the 31 farmer loan borrowers of KAMADA ARC cooperative.# (RDME)