ILOILO City – To enhance Western Visayas farmers’ productivity and ensure a prosperous harvest, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6, together with the Korean Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO), launched a two-day roadshow featuring the latest in farm machinery and technologies.
The event, held at the Western Visayas Agricultural Research Center (DA-WESVIARC) in the Jaro district on Wednesday, July 24, was themed “Innovate Visayas: Food Security Through Right Mechanization.”
It showcased a broad spectrum of agricultural machinery, ranging from land preparation to post-harvest tools, aimed at advancing modern agricultural practices across the region.
The primary goal of the showcase was to streamline and simplify farming operations, thereby boosting productivity and maximizing farmers’ revenues.
Among the technologies displayed were drone seeders, brown rice mills, tractors, precision seeders, mounted sprayers, lifting machines, and cultivators, all available for acquisition by various farmer cooperatives and associations.
The roadshow was inaugurated by DA-6 regional executive director Dennis Arpia and prominent figures such as Philip Kim, president of FIT Corea Trading Philippines and KAMICO Country Representative; Hokyum Kim, director of TYM Korea; Sekjin Lee, president of Leshwa Industry; and PHilMech directors Dionisio G. Alvindia and Joel Dator, among others.
Director Alvindia emphasized the event’s focus – introducing rice farmers to cutting-edge technologies that span from land preparation to post-harvest processes.
He lamented the low awareness among farmers about utilizing new technologies to improve harvests.
“We want to show our farmers that such machinery can significantly enhance their productivity and income,” said Alvindia.
He also noted that while the cost of such machinery might seem prohibitive, the government, under the Rice Tariffication Law allocates P5 billion annually through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to aid farmers.
Since 2019, PhilMech has distributed P2.7 billion worth of machinery to 1,364 cooperatives and associations under the RCEF mechanization program.
During the event, one tractor was distributed to each of the following associations: Agtubabo Irrigators Association in Barotac Nuevo, Santo Semeba Irrigators Association in Anilao, the Municipal Local Government of Leon, and the Tubungan Multi-purpose Cooperative in Tubungan, Iloilo.
Arpia expressed gratitude to KOMICA for bringing their latest farm mechanization technologies to the Visayas Region, helping farmers rise to the challenges posed by climate change.
“Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., although not present today, stands firm in his belief that mechanization will significantly enhance the production capacities of Western Visayas,” Arpia said./PN
