Eight hauling trucks and two refrigerated vans with a total cost of P21.44 million were awarded to different farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) to benefit the rice and vegetable farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Agriculture Secretary William Dar led the turnover ceremony on October 29, 2021 at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC) compound.
He highlighted the importance of collective action and urged farmers to join cooperatives that are active both in the production and marketing of commodities and eventually in value-adding activities.
The Rice Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in CAR provided seven hauling trucks amounting to P13.954 to FCAs in Apayao, Abra, and Mountain Province to enhance their marketing enterprise and support the procurement activities of the National Food Authority.
The DA-CAR High-Value Crops Development Program, on the other hand, turned over two refrigerated vans worth P4.986 million to lessen the Benguet farmers’ transportation cost and speed up the delivery of their produce.
Another hauling truck worth P2.5 million from the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division was awarded to benefit vegetable farmers.
In addition, Secretary Dar turned over a truck-mounted water well drilling rig and support equipment amounting to P22 million to the regional office to provide drilling services for the development of groundwater for irrigation in rainfed areas.
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, DA-CAR Executive Director Cameron Odsey, Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Danilo Daguio, and RTD for Research and Regulations Jennilyn Dawayan joined the agri chief during the event. (Photo by Alan Jay Jacalan, DA-AFID)
