By Edwin Fernandez/PNA
COTABATO CITY — The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAF-ARMM) has conducted the mass distribution of PHP35-million worth of farming machinery in Maguindanao on Tuesday.
DAF-ARMM Secretary Alexander Alonto Jr. led the distribution of the equipment at the DAF-ARMM Integrated Agricultural Research Center (IARC) compound in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
“The DAF interventions were composed of 80 units of rice and corn farm machinery given to 18 legitimate cooperatives in the province of Maguindanao,” Alonto said.
Edna Bajao, the regional rice alternate focal person, said the rice farm machinery was composed of several hand tractors, a thresher machine, a floating tiller, a transplanter, a portable irrigation system open source (PISOS) reaper, and a combine harvester.
The corn farm equipment, meanwhile, consisted of an electrical corn mill, a corn sheller, a cassava grater and another potable PISOS reaper, according to regional corn coordinator Dr. Albert Usman.
Alonto said his office also distributed 1,600 liters of insecticides, 1,600 kg. of fungicide and 550 sachets of rodenticides to the farming cooperatives.
Sittie Anida Tomawis Limbona, DAF-ARMM administration and finance chief, said of the total PHP35-million assistance, PHP22 million was allocated for rice farmers while the remaining PHP13 million was for corn farmers.
She said the assistance was funded by the Department of Agriculture.