TAGAYTAY CITY — Some 2,796 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Caraga Region are now assured of credit and insurance program assistance under the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) of the government.
The credit assistance worth PHP52.1 million were provided to 24 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
DAR Assistant Regional Director Daylinda Narisma reported this during the department’s 2018 mid-year performance review and planning session held in Tagaytay City on Thursday.
“The credit assistance is being utilized by the farmer-beneficiaries for land preparation and farm cultivation including seeds, fertilizer and other expenses until they are able to harvest their produce,” Narisma said.
APCP aims to provide credit assistance to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) or ARB households channeled through organizations, like ARBOs, or other conduits which were not given the chance to access credit from other lending institutions. This project is aimed to support the farmers’ individual or communal crop production.
Narisma added that aside from loans to finance crop production, APCP ensures sustainable production of crops and increase the income of ARB household members and at the same time strengthening the ARBOs. The project also aims to improve the capabilities of ARBs through the provision of institutional capability building activities.
The Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) is a joint credit and capacity development project of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform and Land Bank of the Philippines aimed at providing credit assistance to farmer organizations and ARBs who are not yet qualified to avail of LBP’s financing programs.
According to Director Resty Osias of the DAR Public Assistance and Media Relations Service (PAMRS), the DAR’s performance review and planning session is currently being conducted from July 24-27, to resolve and address problems in implementing agrarian reform. (DAR PR)
