Another 1,539 Buk’non farmers get fuel assistance from Agri-NorMin

DON CARLOS, BUKIDNON — Continuing its support for farm mechanization and cost-efficient production, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) extended another PhP4.617 million worth of fuel support to 1,539 Don Carlos farmers on October 8-9.

The initiative forms part of the Fuel Assistance to Farmers Program (FAtFP) of the DA, aiming to help farmers cope with increasing fuel prices and sustain their farming operations. Under the program, each qualified beneficiary received an Intervention Monitoring Card (IMC) loaded with PhP3,000 worth of fuel credits, for use in farm machinery and equipment operations.

Through the program, DA-10 seeks to reduce production expenses among farmers while promoting the wider adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies across Northern Mindanao.

Janet D. Lopez, DVM, Chief of the DA-10 Bukidnon Provincial Operations Center, emphasized that the provision of fuel assistance demonstrates the government’s commitment to support local farmers in maintaining productivity despite challenges in the agriculture sector.

“This support is timely and significant for our farmers, especially those heavily reliant on fuel-powered machinery. It helps them continue farming operations without being burdened by rising fuel costs,” Dr. Lopez said, stressing that such interventions are vital to sustaining agricultural growth in the region.

One of the beneficiaries, Geraldine Rebajado of Barangay San Roque, expressed her gratitude for the aid, noting how the fuel assistance helps ease production costs and supports their livelihood.

“Nagpasalamat kog dako nga na apil ko aning assistance sa DA karun. Ako naga-uma ug mais sulod sa isa ug tunga ka ektarya nga area. Sa among pagpanguma, kanunay mi naga-gamit ug tractor nga among gina-abangan ug eight thousand matag ektarya. Dako kaayu nig tabang ang fuel assistance nga among madawatan tungod kay maminosan among gasto sa pang gasolina, dili nami kailangan mo palit pa, ug dako na kaayu nag makunhod sa among gastoson.”

(I am very grateful to be included as one of the recipients of this assistance from the DA. I’m a corn farmer cultivating about one and a half hectares of land. In farming, we regularly use a tractor that we rent for eight thousand pesos per hectare. The fuel assistance we received helps a lot because it reduces our fuel expenses, significantly lowering our overall farming costs.)

The activity is also an avenue for the agency to encourage more farmers to be enrolled to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), and register their agricultural machinery to the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Management Information System (ABEMIS), to qualify for similar programs in the future.

Implemented under the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE), in partnership with DA-10’s Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED), the FAtFP reinforces the government’s thrust toward modernized and sustainable farming systems.

This aligns with the current administration’s goal of advancing inclusive rural development and empowering farmers to achieve higher productivity through mechanization and efficient resource utilization. # (EJLG)