SAN JOSE, Antique – The mechanization program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) will soon benefit farmer-members of cooperatives from the 17 towns of this province, said Rhomelita Alonsagay of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture.
“The national government is supporting the farmers through their cooperatives by providing them with mechanization so they could become competitive also with the liberalization of rice importation,” Alonsagay added.
According to her, the budget for the mechanization will be sourced from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) as mandated under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
Fifty percent of the RCEF will go to the mechanization program; 30 percent for seeds; and 10 percent each for credit and training and extension services, she said.
Alonsagay added that through the RCEF mechanization program, the farmers’ cooperative in the province can at least avail of P5-million grant for its needed technologies such as agricultural tractors, farm tillers and rice seeders.
The heads and members of the farmers cooperatives from Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Belison, Hamtic, Sibalom, Patnongon, Bugasong, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, San Jose de Buenavista, San Remigio, Valderrama, Laua-an, Pandan, Libertad, and Sebaste were interviewed on Aug. 27 and Oct. 23-24 by the RCEF staff.
They are currently in the process of complying with the documentary requirements of Letter of Intent to the RCEF mechanization program, valid certificate/registration from any recognized government agency, and farmer association profile.
“Since the RCEF mechanization program will be for six years beginning this 2019, then there will be one cooperative in each of the 17 towns that will be a recipient of the technology every year,” Alonsagay said, adding only the Caluya town was not included due to its distance.(With a report from PNA/PN)
