ILOILO CITY — Upland food producers from Panay Island will get the necessary marketing support through the establishment of 10 “Bayanihan Tipon Centers” in different municipalities and one regional local food terminal.
The construction of the centers, which will serve as a food terminal to be used for “consolidation of products”, is part of the final phase of the five-year Panay Island Upland Sustainable Rural Development Project (PIU-SRDP) assisted by a USD6.5-million grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) office in Western Visayas.
Clark Belendres, PIU-SRDP coordinating officer, said that the third and final phase of the project that would be implemented this year will be bigger. A total of 11 municipalities had been identified to host the “Bayanihan Tipon Centers” and one regional local food terminal.
The 10 Bayanihan Tipon Centers will be established in the municipalities of Alimodian,Tubungan and Lambunao in Iloilo; Sebaste, Patnongon and Tobias Fornier in Antique; Madalag and Libacao in Aklan; and Jamindan and Tapaz in Capiz. A regional center would be hosted by the town of San Miguel in Iloilo.
The lot for the center will be donated by host municipalities, but will be managed by cooperatives that will be provided with loan for procuring products from the upland.
Phase I of the project was implemented in 15 selected barangays in Panay Island. This phase, according to project focal person, DA-Western Visayas technical director Manuel Olanday, was more on community preparation to generate their support for the project.
From among the 15 barangays, the number was trimmed down to 10 under Phase II. Recipient communities were provided with income generating or livelihood support to boost their profitability and productivity.
“The final phase will focus on improving the marketing system for upland food producers” of high-value crops and vegetables, Olanday said.
PIU, which started in 2015, aimed to reduce poverty in the upland communities by addressing their area-specific needs, he cited. (PNA)
