DAR turns over ₧8.67-M farm inputs, equipment to Pangasinan ARBOS

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) announced that it has turned over P8.67 million worth of farm inputs, machinery, and equipment to 18 different agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOS) based in Pangasinan.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, a former 6th District Representative of Pangasinan, led the turn-over rites last December 28, 2022, at the Robert Estrella Sr. Memorial Stadium.

The distribution was made possible through various DAR projects that aim to boost the capacity of farmers with small landholdings to sustain farming activities and increase their income. These are the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS), the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), and the Linking Smallholder Farmers to Market and Microfinance (Linksfarmm).

“This activity is our way of bringing government services closer to the farmers. This is also in support of the goal of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to improve the lives of the farmers through the provision of various support services,” Estrella said in a statement.

He said the farm machines will benefit a total of 640 agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) members of the 18 ARBOS in sustaining the agricultural productivity of the lands awarded to them.

Six ARBOS from Umingan, Sta. Barbara, Alaminos, Bani, Bautista, and Bayambang received P2.1 million worth of support services from Linksfarmm which includes two pick-up trucks and 336 bags of fertilizers.

Under CRFPS, 11 ARBOS received a cultivator, a harvester, a reaper, 10 engine pumps, 27 engine pumps, and 14 hand tractors. They also received 250 packs of assorted vegetable seeds and 50 bags of fertilizers. The support services package is worth P6.2 million.

From EPHAP, the Gualsic Agriculture Cooperative of Alcala received P321,840 worth of support services which include 2 motorcycles with carriers and 33 bags of fertilizers.

“The farm implements would make farming easier and faster. It will also help improve their yield and increase their income,” Estrella said.

The CRFPS, EPAHP, and Linksfarmm are geared toward building the resiliency of agrarian reform communities nationwide. It aims to enhance and sustain the agricultural productivity of farmers’ organizations, by providing farm machinery and livelihood activities to uplift the lives of its members.