Davao City—Model corn farms would be established in Caraga region in northeastern Mindanao to expand grains production and boost food supply during the pandemic.
The farms would be set up in Barangay Mandamo in Butuan City, and in the municipalities of Bunawan in Agusan del Sur and San Miguel in Surigao del Sur, the regional Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
The DA said it would give free seeds, fertilizer, soil ameliorants, and biological control agents as well as technical and marketing support to the three farm-cluster cooperators.
Regional Director Abel James I. Monteagudo and Regional Corn Program Coordinator Melody Guimary recently turned over the farm inputs to Mandamo Integrated Farmers Association (MIFA) of Butuan City and Bunawan Agusan del Sur Corn Farmers Association. They were both held at the DA Compound in Taguibo, Butuan City.
Butuan City Agriculture Office chief, Engr. Pierre Anthony Joven, witnessed the turnover.
The DA said corn model farms would demonstrate appropriate technology to increase yield, reduce production cost through farm mechanization, and produce quality yellow and white corn grains.
The agency said farmer-cluster cooperators have committed 50 hectares of land for the model farm involving around 150 farmers.
“To help our farmers continue their noble role as a food producer, DA will support them through the provision of seeds and other inputs to make them productive despite the pandemic,” Monteagudo said.
Nazario Baslote, chairman of MIFA said the project would help them avail of free seeds and other inputs that could cut their production cost.
“Despite the pandemic, we can produce food continuously,” he said.
The agency said the project is in support of the “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program (Agri4Ps), which aims to raise the income of farmers and fishermen and enable the Philippines to achieve food security.
Image credits: Antonio Oquias | Dreamstime.com
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