Bounty comes to
Northern Mindanao
by Gardee U. Pacalloga

With hearty smiles visibly etched on their sun-burnt faces, 60 rice farmers of barangays Pinamangguan and Talasan, Kadingilan town in Bukidnon, now proudly show off to visitors two communal diversion dams worth P5.3 million from the Department of Agriculture.

The dams which now irrigate about 200 hectares of riceland, were completed through a fund-sharing scheme between the DA and the recipient local government unit under the Agrikulturang Makamasa program.

DA-10 Director Rufo C. Chan Jr. and Kadingilan Mayor Nestor Baliguat turned over the projects in July 1999.

One month later, President Joseph Estrada, along with Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara and other cabinet members, arrived in Cagayan de Oro City with more bounty, not only for the Bukidnon tillers, but for other beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao as well.

There, the President turned over more than P129 million worth of agricultural projects to some 18,400 farmers and five fishermen's associations covering a total of 27,205 hectares and five municipal waters in Region 10.

The projects are expected to enable the people of Mindanao attain food security and help modernize its agriculture and fisheries sectors.

President Estrada also switched-on the completed P16.6 million Bacusanon Communal Irrigation System in the municipality of Pangantucan, Bukidnon, enabling some 100 farmers tilling an area of 150 hectares attain a 1,200 MT palay production annually.

Also launched was the P34.65-million Cabanglasan Corn Feedstock Service Center in Bukidnon which is due for completion this year. This will serve about 2,000 farmers cultivating 1,500 hectares of cornland, reduce post-harvest losses by 50 percent, and assure supplies to market and institutional buyers.

Another project launched was the P14.37-million Cabadiangan Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP) which aims to irrigate 210 hectares of farmland tilled by 105 farmers. It is designed to achieve a 1,680 MT palay production per year. DA-10 released P9.16-million for the project, with the municipal government giving P4.84 million as its share.

Meant to attain a palay production of 32,960 MT per year and a sufficiency level of 81 percent, the P15.163-million Binhian Sa Lalawigan was launched by President Estrada for 7,324 farmers in an impact area of 16,480 hectares also in Bukidnon. DA-10 released an initial P1.5 million for the project, while the provincial government allotted an equal amount.

The President also set into motion the P1.72-million Balanced Fertilization Program, aimed at attaining a 200 MT palay harvest per year in the province. Funded on a 50-50 share by DA-10 and the provincial government, it benefits some 100 farmers, covering an area of 100 hectares.

For Misamis Occidental, there is the P6.99-million Binhian sa Lalawigan which hopes for a 15,170 MT per year harvest and an 81 percent sufficiency level in the province. The DA-RO10 and the provincial government initially allotted P1 million each for the project for 7,585 farmers working on 7,585 hectares.

The provinces P1.72 million Balanced Fertilization Program was also launched by the President on a 50-50 share basis, enabling 100 farmers tilling some 100 hectares to achieve a 200 MT palay harvest each year.

For Misamis Oriental, the P14.37-million WHISFAMCI Corn Feedstock Service Center was launched in Claveria. Designed to serve 1,000 farmers in an impact area of 700 hectares, the project will reduce the town's post harvest losses by as much as 30 percent.

Also launched nearby was the P3.4-million Sambulawan Diversion Dam in the municipality of El Salvador. To be completed this year, the project will help 65 farmers, working on 80 hectares attain a 640 MT annual production.

The Chief Executive similarly gave the go signal to start the P20-million Restoration of Multi-purpose and Unified Abaca-based Livelihood Development Outreach Project in Camiguin. An initial amount of P4 million was released to cover 300 hectares.

At the same time, the P.205-million Marine Fish Cage and Bottom Set Gill project was launched to provide alternative livelihoods for five fishermen's associations covering five municipal waters in the province.

For Cagayan de Oro City, President Estrada turned over to Mayor Vicente Emano 22 heads of cattle worth P270,000 for 22 farmers in barangays Tagpangi and Mambuaya as part of the Barangay Breeder Loan Program in the region.

Not to be outdone, this year 475 farmers of Northern Mindanao were given certificates of land ownership covering 1,313 hectares. Of the total land area, 1,040 hectares are located in Bukidnon, 159 hectares in Misamis Occidental, and 14 hectares in Camiguin.

Gardee U. Pacalloga is Information Officer II in Cagayan de Oro.