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Official Publication of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol Regional Office, in cooperation with the RIAC-REDIRAS - RDC Bicol



Wednesday, July 17, 2013

DA turns over farm machinery for irrigators in Camarines Sur town

By Analiza S. Macatangay

PILI, Camarines Sur, July 17 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office here turned over farm machinery worth P3,016,500 to the Federation of Pili Irrigators Association (FPIA) in line with the national government’s goal of attaining food sufficiency and increasing income of farmers in the countryside.

The program, provided under Republic Act (RA) 10601 or An Act Promoting Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Development in the Countryside, seeks to improve and push for the adoption of modern and cost-effective agricultural and fisheries machinery said DA Bicol regional director Abelardo R. Bragasin.


Rep. Leni Robredo of Camarines Sur's third congressional district lauded the unified efforts of the irrigators pushing for the realization of the various programs of the government for the agricultural sector, also citing the cooperation of other organizations to maximize government resources to propel development in the countryside.

FPIA president, Reynaldo Valiente, received a harvester worth P1,990,000, one drum seeder worth P6,500, a hand tractor costing P120,000, and one 4WD mini tractor worth P900,000.

FPIA is composed of 12 irrigators associations with 1,980 farmer beneficiaries.

Pili Mayor Alexis San Luis cited DA officials and the support extended by the offices of Robredo and Camarines Sur Vice Governor Fortunato Peña and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, for choosing the town of Pili as pilot area and as launching site of the farm mechanization program of government.

“This is a great honor, not only for me but also to the constituents of Pili, to our farmers and irrigators. As the capital town of Camarines Sur, we are lucky that we are given this opportunity to contribute to the development of the agricultural sector through the utilization of this modern farm equipment,” San Luis stated.

The farm mechanization program will shorten the process of planting and growing rice thereby limiting the production cost while increasing their profit - this, to benefit mostly rice farmers.

The AFMech Law was signed by President Aquino on June 5, 2013 to encourage farmers and fishers to use modern, cost–effective, and environment-friendly equipment as well as adopt new post-harvest technologies to enhance productivity.

The provisions stipulated in the AFMech law also mandates the DA to strengthen its farm and fisheries groups through the creation of a Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering which will prepare, evaluate, and recommend engineering plans for farm and fishery machinery.

The program will also include research grants, credit, regulation and local development and manufacture of machinery. Agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment will be tested and evaluated by government, with owners registering them with the agriculture offices of LGUs. (MAL/LSM/PIA5, Camarines Sur)

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