The local government of Banate in the province of Iloilo is optimistic on the government’s agri initiatives that foster resilience and progressive agriculture communities.

This, as eight farm cooperatives and associations in the town received farm machinery worth P9 million from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) and the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-Asa Program.

“Isa sa mga programa sang national government ang pagsulod diri sa atun sang AMIA. Ginapangamuyo natun nga madamu nga mangunguma ang makabenipisyo sa programa kag ginapasalamatan gid natun ang Department of Agriculture (One of the programs that the national government has offered was the AMIA. We pray that more farmers benefit from the program and we thanked the Department of Agriculture for that),” Mayor Carlos Cabangal said.

Among the farm equipment received include two harvesters, two transplanters, eight pumping engines, eight hand tractors with trailers and some planting materials.

Cabangal also noted the positive changes brought by the program such as the shift from manual to mechanical process, and provision of seeds and fertilizers.

According to DA’s press report, AMIA program has delivered highly-responsive agriculture and fisheries support services to
Libertad Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC), Bogata Farmers Association, Propoban Farmers Association, Puros Farmers Association, Kapisan sang Mangunguma sang CARP, Merced Farmers Association, Merced-Carmelo Farmers Irrigators Association, and Carmelo Farmers Association since 2014.

For her part, AMIA Program Project Development Assistant Chrystal Alemandrejo lauded the initiative for the improvement it brought to
the beneficiaries.

“Madamu na kamo sang napamatud-an, especially sa mga output ninyo sa native pigs, may na-accomplished na sa atun SRI, dira gid magasuporta ang atun nga machinery nga igahatag, para sa inyo rice production (You have proven so much especially on the native pigs outputs. We have accomplished something for our System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which will be supported by the machineries given to us for rice production),” Alemandrejo said.

Moreover, AMIA’s strategic development scheme is anchored through Climate Resilient Agri-Fisheries (CRA), enabling communities to manage climate risks while pursuing sustainable livelihoods.JBG/LML/PIA-6/DA-Western Visayas Press Release