The Department of Agriculture (DA) has established a financial grant program named “Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” to aid small enterprises and farmers’ needs.
The “Kadiwa” is loosely translated as “one idea, one thought”, according to the DA.
The financial assistance program materialized DA’s vision to cultivate farmers and fishermen’s capability.
The grant packages are divided into three, namely:
- Type A – a grant for Farmers and Fisherfolk Cooperatives and Association (FCA) assemblers, which is intended for organizations that buy raw materials and process them to create products;
- Type B – a grant for FCA consolidators, which is intended for consumers who sell wholesale products; and
- Type C – a grant for Kadiwa Community-Based Organization (CBO) retailers.
The third episode of DA’s Ani at Kita featured Aurora Citrus Marketing Cooperative in Aurora, Isabela, which joined the Enhanced Kadiwa (E-Kadiwa) program.
“Napakalaking tulong po ang ibinigay sa amin ng E-Kadiwa ng Ani at Kita, kasi iyong binigay nilang grant sa amin na pambili ng Elf (truck), napakinabangan na po naming lahat na miyembro,” Aurora Citrus Marketing Cooperative Chairman Yvonne Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said E-Kadiwa has helped their cooperative in transporting their fruits and vegetables to the market and consumers.
“Noong una ay 26 lang kami… Noong nakita na nila iyong Elf, parang naging 90 pus na kami bigla,” Gutierrez said.
The cooperative chair attributed its members’ growth and loyalty with the presence of E-Kadiwa.
E-Kadiwa has also provided transportation assistance to the farmers through a P1.5-million financial grant to the municipality of Pola, Oriental Mindoro.
Pola, Oriental Mindoro Mayor Jennifer Mindanao Cruz said that the grant they received was used to procure a truck for farmers in Barangay Matulatula.
“Napagbigyan ng enhanced Kadiwa ng isang sasakyan ang ating mga magsasaka,” Cruz said.
Cruz said that DA’s E-Kadiwa program has helped small enterprises, as well as fishermen and farmers.
“Hindi niyo (DA) na kami hinayaan na pumunta sa inyo. Kayo na mismo, inaalam ninyo kung ano iyong kailangan namin dito sa baba, at naramdaman namin na may gobyerno,” Cruz added.
Local farmers and fishermen also extended their gratitude to the E-Kadiwa financial assistance grant program and hoped for more support to their industry in this time of pandemic. (DA) – CF-rir
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