30 farmer associations get agri machine from Capitol
Agricultural machineries were given away to 30 farmer associations from different municipalities in Cebu province yesterday.
These consist of 30 corn mills, 10 outdoor storage boxes, 10 water pumps with accessories and 10 moisture meter worth around P5 million in total.
Miguel Lendio, president of Valencia-Inghoy Farmers Association, expressed his gratefulness to the provincial government for the aid they received. His association has 230 members who are all farmers. Lendio emphasized that nonmembers can use it for a fee. Their profit will be used for their group's development programs.
"Nalipay ug mapasalamaton kaayo mi nga natabangan mi pinaagi sa machines," he said.
Cebu Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Roldan Saragena said that they chose to procure the machines for the farmers to reduce their milling expenses and take home bigger profits.
"Eighty to ninety percent nila (farmers), adto magpagaling didto sa Poblacion Area. Mogasto na sila'g 300 to 500 pesos para lang sa pagdala sa ilahang igpagagaling," he said.
Through the portable corn mills, Saragena hopes that farmers could save time that they could devote to other farm labors since the milling machine is just within the community.
Department of Agriculture- 7 Director Salvador Diputado also shared this administration's effort to attain food security through supporting farmers.
National Outstanding Scientist for Nematology Dr. Romulo Davide also graced the event. He shared that partnership between the farmers and the government is essential to advance the skills of the local farmers and the quality of farm produce. Romulo is also a consultant of the Cebu Agriculture Program.
More than five hundred farmers from across the province attended yesterday's affair.
Cebu Governor HilarioDavide III encouraged the farmers to join the farmer training programs and acknowledged them as heroes.
"You are part of history. That's why we declare you heroes of the land. You have contributed much to our economy tungod sa inyong mga sakripisyo ug pagkugi," he said.
Aside from the machines, the provincial government had the groundbreaking of the P20-million Agriculture and Veterinary building to culminate the Farmer's Day celebration.
It will be a 3-storey building with a land area of 510 square meters. Currently, only a perspective and floor plan of the project exists. The funds and bidding for the project are to follow this year. —