26 Davao de Oro farmers’ coops and assocs benefit from P24-M farm machinery

Nabunturan, Davao de Oro — Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) handed over agricultural machinery worth PHP 24.18 million to the rice farmers in Davao de Oro.

A total of 45 units of farm machinery were distributed comprising 8 hand tractors, 13 floating tillers, 2 precision seeders, 13 walk-behind transplanters, 1 riding-type transplanter, 6 combine harvester, 1 mobile rice mills, and 1 single pass (stationary).

These will help thousands of farmers from the 26 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in 8 rice-producing municipalities in the province.

In his message, PhilMech Interim Director for Operations Joel Dator said that the provisions are supported by the Mechanization component of 2022 Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) including some of the excess funds from 2021. The budgets for RCEP are provided through Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Dator added that “yun pong mga pangangailangan nila na makina para mapabilis ang pagtatrabaho nila sa bukirin, ito na po yung mga kasagutan” and before the distribution activity, these farmer-beneficiaries received hands-on training from the department for the maintenance of these agri-mechanics.

In an interview, DA XI Regional Director Abel James Monteagudo urged farmer-beneficiaries to take good care of the machines for long-term use. He also added that more farmers would receive the provisions through the 2023 funds coming from PhilMech.

“The concept of mechanization is to reduce the cost of production and increase efficiency for the farmers to do their job in producing rice and other commodities in agriculture for the objective of food sufficiency,” Monteagudo said.

Meanwhile, the provincial government headed by Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga and farmers-beneficiaries expressed gratitude to DA, PHilMech, and the office of Senator Cynthia A. Villar for the provisions given that would advance their farming ventures and increase income in return.

According to PhilMech’s data from 2019-2023, some PHP 184 million in farm machinery was received by the province consisting of 224 units and benefited 97 FCAs. (J. Fernandez, Photos by A. Dayao)