Kape Maramag receives a unit of mini chainsaw to boost their coffee farming operations in Maramag, Bukidnon.  

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 headed by OIC – Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes handed over 1 unit of mini chainsaw to Kape Maramag, Inc. at the agency compound on September 12, 2022.

The mini chainsaw was received through the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) of Maramag president Estila A. Achas, who noted that the unit will be greatly helpful for farmers in pruning their coffee plants.

Funded under the High Value Crops Development program, said agri intervention aimed to boost the coffee farming operations of Maramag town.

Back in 2012, DA-10 funded for the establishment of a coffee roasting facility through RIC Maramag, the mother organization of Kape Maramag, as part of reviving the coffee industry in the region. # (MPMTablon)

Corn farmers from the municipalities of Gitagum and Alubijid, Misamis Oriental receive their fuel discount cards valued at 3K each.

GITAGUM, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – A total of 660 corn farmers from the towns of Gitagum and Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, received fuel subsidies totaling to P1.98-million from the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) through its Corn Program on September 13, 2022.

In coordination with the Universal Storefront Services, Corp., the fuel discount cards each valued at P3K were distributed to 104 qualified corn farmers from Alubijid and 556 from Gitagum.

Said granted assistance will be means to purchase gasoline or diesel fuel by farmers from any accredited gasoline station amid the rising prices of said products.

Eligible beneficiaries are those individuals or members of farmers’ associations registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and are listed in the Farmers and Fisherfolk Registry System (FFRS).

They or he/she must own functional farm machineries with proof of ownership.

Lilibeth M. Pamisa, one of the beneficiaries from the municipality of Gitagum, conveyed her gratitude for the department’s initiative in providing fuel subsidies to farmers, which is a huge help for them to lessen their production expenses.

The next leg of distribution is set on September 15, 2022 in Tubod, Lanao del Norte. # (MPMTablon)

Agri 10 employees join the greening tree planting activity in celebration of President BBM’s 65^th birthday, which also falls in the month of September, as it observes the Philippine Bamboo Month.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To help mitigate the impact of climate change, employees from the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) helmed by OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes joined the nationwide simultaneous tree planting activity on September 13, 2022 in sitio Camarahan, barangay Pagatpat, this city.

The greening tree planting activity is in celebration of the 65th birthday of President and DA secretary Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., bearing the theme: “Buhayin ang Pangangalaga ng Kalikasan.”

More than 240 bamboo planting stocks [Giant variety] were planted on site that will help improve biodiversity, and provide alternative source of livelihood for the community.

Said conduct of bamboo planting is also in time this month of September, as it celebrates the Philippine Bamboo Month per Proclamation No. 1401 signed by former President Duterte.

Spearheading the event is the Department of the Interior and Local Government, with the participation of the agriculture department, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, other national government agencies, civil society organizations, and volunteers. # (RDMElloren)

High-value crop farmers of Brgy. Lupiagan, Sumilao, Bukidnon are eyed to benefit from the recently turned over P1.8-M SPIS funded by DA-10.

SUMILAO, BUKIDNON – Around 39 high-value crop farmers of barangay Lupiagan in Sumilao, Bukidnon will benefit from the solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) from the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10).

DA-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes turned over the P1.8-million worth of SPIS to Sumilao Mayor Jose Antonio A. Villo on Thursday, September 8, 2022.

The project was designed to irrigate rainfed high-value crop production using solar-powered pump irrigation.

The 5-horsepower pump with 20 pieces of solar module can irrigate around 15 hectares of potential production area and 50 hectares of rainfed area.

Barangay Lupiagan with an estimated elevation of 1,263.5 meters above sea level is rich with high-value crops such as carrots, potatoes, cabbage, Chinese pechay, and is the third IMTASULA town to receive the SPIS from the department.

Sumilao is one of the towns in IMTASULA Complex or Impasugong, Talakag, Sumilao and Lantapan, a major vegetable and high-value crop production area in Northern Mindanao.

Beatriz P. Omonlay, a farmer-member of the Sumilao Farmers Indigenous Association (SUFIA) shared that it costs her before around P70,000 to procure a hose to water her farm where the water source is from Mt. Kitanglad.

“The project is a big help to the farmers in irrigating more productive areas in producing high-value crops, aside from reducing their labor and costs,” said Sumilao Mayor Jose Antonio A. Villo.

The project is funded under the High-Value Crops Development Program of the department to boost food security.#(ATC)

Agri dept 10 convenes with Pilmico to discuss on how to tap more FCAs in the region to have a marketing tie-up with said company.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Supporting farmers in commanding decent prices for their corn harvest, the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) headed by OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes convened with the officials from Pilmico Foods, Corp. to explore more farmers cooperatives, associations (FCAs) in Region 10 to forge a marketing agreement with said company.

Pursuing such initiative will not be a first for Pilmico, the food and agribusiness subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. as they have engaged with FCAs in Northern Mindanao and is eyeing to tap more farmer-groups for their inclusive sourcing project for corn.

As early as 2018, DA-10 Corn program focal person, Richan D. Lacanaria bared, that the agency has linked the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers’ Cooperative (MARBFC) of Manolo Fortich, to serve a portion of Pilmico’s corn requirements for the production of animal feeds.

Dir. delos Reyes further noted that the marketing agreement has not only helped the Coop, but also other Bukidnon corn farmers as MARBFC has employed the ‘big brother-small brother’ marketing strategy.

“As the big brother, MARBFC acts as a consolidator buying the produce of its members and from other nearby cooperatives, to assist small corn farmers in selling their produce to Pilmico,” he added.

Citing the mutual gains for said undertaking, another round of meeting will ensue with prospective FCAs to ink a marketing agreement with Pilmico.

Heading the Pilmico team in said visit is Norie Bermudez, vice president and country manager for feeds, along with other key personnel: Teddy Deocares, vice president for supply chain; Florencio Sabandal, vice president for operations-flour; Maria Theressa N. Castillo, external relations manager; and Kat Mercado, manager. # (JCAnito)

Agri NorMin turns over the P7.11-M seed storage at Nutriland, Purok 2 in barangay Pinatilan, Valencia City, Bukidnon mainly intended for the storage of rice seeds and other farm inputs.

Valencia City, Bukidnon, September 8 – The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-NorMin) through OIC- Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes led the turnover ceremony of the P7.11-million seed storage situated at Nutriland, Purok 2 in barangay Pinatilan, this city.

Said facility has a total floor area of 320 square meters with a 99 ton-capacity cold chamber (160 square meters) primarily for the storage of rice seeds and 156 tons for the ambient (160 square meters) area.

RED delos Reyes noted, that the structure will not only be useful for rice but also for the depository of fertilizers and other farm inputs that the city is set to receive from the department.

Likewise, he urged the local government of Valencia City to create an Agricultural Biosystems Engineering Division to help in the upkeep of the farm machinery they have acquired.

In response, Valencia City Mayor Azucena P. Huervas expressed her gratefulness for the interventions poured to the city by DA-10 and pinned her hopes for the department’s continuous support mentioning that the city is an irrigated and diversified agricultural area.

The local chief executive added that the city also has a 14-hectare land intended as a farm demonstration area to showcase the production of various agricultural crops and farming practices of the city and Bukidnon as well.

Reportedly, out from the city’s 63,126 hectares, 30,000 hectares is suitable for agriculture, wherein 11,000 hectares is particularly tilled for rice production with around 5,855 rice farmers.

Apart from the seed storage dwelling in Nutriland, which refers to the lot devoted for the nutritional programs of the city, it also houses the P4.3-million warehouse. Of which, both projects are implemented under DA-10’s Rice program.

Also gracing the activity is Valencia City Agriculturist Connie L. Dalangan and other LGU personnel, and DA-10 staff. # (EMBentulanJr.)

DA-10 headed by OIC-RED delos Reyes together with banner program focals and representatives convene with USDA for a likely partnership to boost the region’s various agricultural commodities.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 7 – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) headed by OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes with the Field Operations Division (FOD) chief Dr. Luz I. Guzman and banner program coordinators welcomed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, Agricultural Attaché Mark Hanzel and Agricultural Specialist Lary Nel B. Abao at the agency compound.

The USDA team’s visit is to learn and discuss on DA-10’s Corn, Rice, Livestock and High Value Crops Development programs for potential collaboration and partnership to boost the region’s agricultural commodities.

Part of their visit was in Bukidnon province for the DA-assisted Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers’ Cooperative and CJ Feeds Philippines, who buys a portion of said coop’s harvest, of which both are situated in Manolo Fortich town. # (RDMElloren)

About a month into his assignment in Region 10, OIC-RED delos Reyes convenes with CMU president, Dr. Derije and discusses on how the department and institution can aid towards achieving agricultural development.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes was recently visited by agricultural development partner-institution, Central Mindanao University headed by Dr. Jesus Antonio G. Derije at the agency compound.

About a month into his assignment in Region 10, Dir. delos Reyes met with said top official of CMU, presented the various programs, projects and interventions under the department, and further assured the agency under his helm to strengthen its partnership with the institution, with both offices aimed at boosting the agricultural sector.

In 2001, CMU has been dubbed as the ‘center of excellence’ in agriculture education, while also supporting DA thru its joint undertakings in the implementation of various projects such as the establishment of swine multiplier farms, rice processing system and community radio program, conduct of rice and corn derbies, Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program, solar-powered fertigation system, among others. # (MPMTablon)

DA-10 inks MOA with LGU Lantapan for the implementation of various agri-assistance for said town.

Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) thru Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and the Local Government Unit of Lantapan headed by Mayor Ernie R. Debivar signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of various agricultural programs, projects and interventions to enhance the productivity and profitability of farmers of said municipality. # (CRSeraspe)

CoPoMa is one of the farmers’ groups recently granted by DA-10 with one unit P3-M farm tractor.

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, September 8 – With the aim to boost farmers’ productivity, the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-NorMin) turned over P3,193,800.00 worth of farm machinery and equipment to two farmers’ groups from Bukidnon and Misamis Occidental.

Held at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan, DA-NorMin OIC-Regional Executive Director Milo D. delos Reyes led the turnover of 1 unit each of farm tractor and hand tractor.

Juanita C. Lumalad, the chair of the Cooperatiba sa Pobreng Mag-uuma (CoPoMa) of Lantapan, Bukidnon, received the certificate of turnover on behalf of their group who expressed her gratefulness for said farm tractor amounting to P3-M.

She said, CoPoMa has a total active member of 38 farmers with about 500 hectares of corn production area overall.

“Dahil sa traktor na ito, mababawasan ang gastos namin sa land preparation, kung saan gumagastos kami ng P3,500 renta ng traktor bawat ektarya,” Lumalad added.

Meanwhile, the Pan-ay IPM Kasakalikasan Farmers Association, Inc. of Clarin, Misamis Occidental was also provided with one unit hand tractor (P193,800) as their award from the recently concluded communal garden contest jointly undertaken by the Philippine Association of Agriculturists, Inc. – NorMin Pineapple Chapter and DA-NorMin.

Also attending the event were municipal agriculturists Neptali C. Ambos and Agnes Gracia Sue S. Butalid of Lantapan, Bukidnon and Clarin, MisOcc, respectively. # (EMBentulanJr.)