DA Hands Out P16-M Worth of Aid to Boost Income of Albay Farmers

Farmers’ associations in Albay province expect to get a boost in agricultural production from the farm inputs and implements donated by the Department of Agriculture in Bicol (DA-5).

DA-5 information officer Annielyn L. Baleza said the assistance is part of DA’s support to Albayano farmers’ effort to uplift the quality of their lives.

Seed varieties for daily consumption, fertilizer, tractors and other farming facilities were among the assistance awarded to qualified beneficiaries during the recently held Farmer’s Forum in Legazpi City.

Niceforo Salando, president of Agos Farmers’ Association in Polangui, Albay, expressed his joy for receiving one of the three small-scale composting facilities that minimize the cost and harmful effects of synthetic fertilizer.

“We used to buy triple katorse synthetic fertilizer and urea for lemons,” Salando said. “The good thing now is we will not be buying chemicals that can be harmful to our health since the DA has taught us how to make organic spray.”

Other farmers receive 740 bags of vermicast, 40 packets of BIO-N fertilizer and four units of knapsack sprayer.

In spite of the rainy days, vegetable farmer Rudy Buenavente hopes to have more bountiful harvest with the hep of the rainshelter unit that he received from the DA.

“Our vegetables such as tomatoes, chili, okra, eggplant and cabbage are damaged especially during rainy days. Hopefully, this rainshelter unit will be the key to better harvests,” he said.

Buenavente is the president of Masaraga Organic Farmers Association in Ligao City and one of the beneficiaries of three rainshelter units.

Included in the DA assistance were 65 kilograms of vegetable seeds, 20 bags of red rice seeds, eight bags of corn seeds and 150 bags of OPV white corn seeds and 350 bags of conventional hybrids.

The farmers also received 740 bags of vermicast, two cassava pulverizer machines, three 4WD tractor and one mini-tractor, mobile dryer and thresher.

Baleza said aside from these facilities, DA also provided training on organic agriculture and vegetable gardening.

Baleza lauded the Albay Farmers Bounty Village in Cabangan Camalig, Albay for showcasing the produce of local farmers. DA’s support services for farmers included market matching and trading post.

The distribution of DA assistance was part of the Farmers’ Forum and launching of Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) that took place in Legazpi City. (PIA5/Albay)