A total of nine hundred sixty (960) agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) members from twenty-four (24) ARB organizations (ARBOs) in the province of Kalinga received farm machines and equipment worth P48.145 million from the Department of Agrarian Reform to improve farm production and profitability in the area.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the distribution of the P30.145 million farm machinery and equipment and P18 million solar-powered irrigation system to the Kaling ARBOs during the celebration of the 73rd Founding Anniversary of Tabuk and the 22nd Matagoan Festival with the theme “Sustaining Gains, Building Relations, Achieving Goals toward a Smart City.”
Estrella emphasized the importance of adopting modern machinery and advanced technology to spark productivity and increase the income of the ARBs.
“This initiative is a testament to the DAR’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of the farmers and ensuring that ARBs will have access to various resources for them to contribute to the growth of the local economy,” Estrella said.
Tabuk farm machinery
Rodolfo Lancaster Bungot, manager of Macutay Sadiri Farmers Cooperative expressed gratitude to the DAR for providing support services to the ARBO members, which he said would also benefit adjoining ARB organizations and other small farmers in the community.
He said that the farm machineries and equipment (FMEs) would be operated by their organization as a business asset where user fees would be collected and utilized for the operation and maintenance of the FMEs.
Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang, Kalinga lone district representative said the distribution of FMEs is inspired by the goal to make Tabuk City, a smart city.
“We have to capacitate and transform our ARBs to become smart farmers. We could only see significant gains in agriculture production through equitable distribution of modern machinery, equipment and capital assets and by introducing them to new agricultural technologies,” Mangaoang said.
Included among the FMEs the ARBOs received were three (3) units combined harvester with trailer, three (3) units tractor with rotovator and trailer, four (4) units tractor with corn kit and trailer, sixteen (16) units grasscutter, six (6) units hand tractors, twenty-five (25) units mini-power tillers, one (1) rotovator, one (1) mini 4 x4 truck and one (1) truck.
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