Sun.Star Davao

AGRI LAND CONVERSION LARGEST IN DAVAO CITY

PSA 11 records show that most agricultur­al land in Davao City is being converted into industrial-commercial spaces in 2017.

- BY GILFORD A. DOQUILA / Reporter

The government has no contractua­l obligation to give any incentives to anybody

CARLOS DOMINGUEZ III

Finance Secretary

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 11 records show that Davao City has the largest agricultur­al land converted into industrial-commercial spaces in Region 11 in 2017.

PSA 11 supervisin­g statistica­l specialist Ma. Leah C. Magracia said Davao City accounted a total of 42.66 percent of agricultur­al land conversion equating to a total of 4,224.31 hectares.

Magracia added that data shows the total percentage of Davao region’s agricultur­al land conversion. Compostela Valley has 26.96 percent of their land converted followed by Davao del Norte with 11.75 percent, Davao Oriental with 9.07 percent, Davao del Sur with 7.89 percent, while Davao Occidental had the least agricultur­al land conversion with only 1.67 percent.

“This data is the compilatio­n of research done by PSA on a local level which we call as the Barangay Agricultur­al Profiling Survey (BAPS),” Magracia said during the closing program of the celebratio­n of the National Statistics Month last October 29, 2018.

Magracia underscore­d the importance of this data in showing the current status of the agricultur­al sector especially in Davao region.

“Lahat naman tayo kumakain kaya mahalaga na alam natin ang kalagayan ng sector ng ating agricultur­e (We all eat that’s why it is important to know the situation of our agricultur­e),” Magracia said.

Magracia added the current situation of the land conversion of agricultur­al spaces must also help inform Dabawenyos on where the agricultur­al sector is heading to amidst urban developmen­t.

In the data shown by PSA, 53 percent of the agricultur­al land being converted turns into industrial and commercial spaces. Around 34 percent of this turns into residentia­l areas like subdivisio­ns and condominiu­ms. Only 13 percent of the land is converted to institutio­ns like the academe and memorial parks.

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