CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – At total of P25 million in agricultural assistance was given to residents in some areas of Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City, and Maguindanao who were affected by conflicts.
Nearly 500,000 were displaced during the five-month siege of Marawi City and hundreds more were affected by atrocities committed by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao.
The aid—whose main objective is to boost local agricultural production—came from the Kingdom of Belgium and was coursed through the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), whose representatives visited Marawi on March 19 and 20.
According to FAO, the assistance will benefit communities in Marawi City and outlying municipalities of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, which are just starting to get back on their feet after conflicts destroyed much of their areas and livelihood.
In a statement, FAO noted that the conflicts have taken a heavy toll on rural livelihoods and industries, as well as the food supply and agribusiness value chain, on which smallholders depend for their daily subsistence.
FAO said Belgium gave cash and was channeled through the FAO-SFERA (Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities) to fund the purchase and distribution of rice, corn vegetable seeds, fertilizer, farming tools and broiler chicken production packages to 4,949 farming families in Marawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
Among the recipients of the assistance are displaced families who are staying with their relatives, host communities and in evacuation centers, including agrarian reform beneficiaries.
“The Government of Belgium and its people hope that our contribution will help ensure that those affected by the Marawi crisis are able to recover as quickly as possible,” Belgium Ambassador to the Philippines Michel Goffin said during his most recent visit to Marawi.
FAO Representative in the Philippines José Luis Fernandez said: “We acknowledge that recovery and rehabilitation take some time, but the concerted efforts of government, non-government organizations, and communities are already making positive impacts to the people affected by the crisis. We must continue working together to sustain the gains we have achieved so far.”
Fernandez said FAO’s emergency and recovery response to the Marawi crisis focuses on rehabilitating the agriculture and fisheries sector, restoring the food supply chain in affected communities, and helping farmers reclaim their lost livelihoods so that they can begin rebuilding their lives.
Working closely with various partners and stakeholders, FAO has also mapped out a short- to medium-term strategic response plan to restore the food supply and agribusiness value chain in Marawi and other affected municipalities and enable them to be better linked to regional markets. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)
