KALIBO Aklan – The provincial board eyes agricultural assistance to farmers affected by the temporary closure of irrigation services due to Aklan River dam construction.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Emmanuel Dela Cruz said the farmers in Kalibo, Numancia, Banga, New Washington, and Lezo are greatly affected by the closure.
He said they may avail themselves of Survival and Recovery loan assistance being offered by the Department of Agriciulture’s (DA) attached agency.
DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) is a post-disaster support facility that provides P20,000 rehabilitation loan and P5,000 emergency loan to affected farmers.
Dela Cruz stressed the microfinance assistance enables the agricultural households to regain their capacity to earn amid the temporary closure of the irrigation services.
ACPC released P39-million loan to five farmer cooperatives from Libacao, Lezo, Madalag, New Washington, and Numancia under the Production Loan Easy Access program. (With a report from Akean Forum/PN)