IFAD to fund four municipalities in AgNor under DAR Project ConVERGE
BUTUAN CITY– The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Agusan del Norte and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) combined resources to implement the Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment Project (CONVERGE) in four municipalities of Tubay, Jabonga, Kitcharao and Santiago, (TUJAKITSAN) Cluster.
The proponents are the San Isidro Upland Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SIUFMULCO) and twenty-one (21) Peoples’ Organizations (POs,) which are engaged in the production of high quality abaca fibers within the cluster of TUJAKITSAN.
The project allotted about P21 million for the procurement of 27 units of portable abaca stripping machines, production of abaca in 700 hectares of land and for the procurement of a 10-wheeler hauling truck.
In partnership with the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), several activities were programmed through the last quarter of 2017. With the introduction of new technologies, this project aims to increase the capacity of the organizations to produce abaca.
Other major project in the pipeline is the farm-to-market road (FMR), which will be implemented in 2018. A total of P33 million has been allotted for the rehabilitation of the 5-kilometer farm-to-market road in Santiago, from NRJ Poblacion 2 to Cadahondahonan.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Andre B. Atega, CESO V, disclosed that the local government of Santiago already formulated its counterpart and the Detailed Design and Program of Works (DD/POW) is still on-going.
Atega said that the department is intensifying its efforts to increase the income of abaca farmers by at least thirty percent.
IFAD Project Managing Consultant Gomer G. Tumbali added that in line with the government’s sustainable development goal, this project aims to increase agricultural productivity and promote the welfare and development of farmers.
“The project is expected to reduce poverty in TUJAKITSAN ARC by engaging the farmer-groups in value chain-based agricultural processes for abaca production in the area,” Tumbali added. (NCLM/Gil E. Miranda, DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
