ARBs seen to boost agri production, livelihood gains

Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the towns of Anini-y and Tobias Fornier, Antique hope to increase their agricultural production and source of income through various farm productivity assistance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Provincial Office.

In a press release, DARPO said these aids were anchored on the components two and three of the project known as “The PaSSOver: ARBold Move for the Deliverance of our Farmers from the COVID-19 Pandemic.”

“We launched the DAR’s project that would provide immediate essential support services to men and women ARBs to enable them cope with the impact of the community quarantine brought by the pandemic,” Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO I) Ludimer Capague said during the event.

The second component of the ARBold Move entails the rolling out of farm inputs needed by the farmers for crop production.

These consist of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and necessary farm tools covering 21.75 hectares.

Meanwhile, the third component underscores the livelihood support for women in crisis situation eventually highlighting the role of women ARBs in agricultural production.

Capague also mentioned that the distribution will last until July and will be implemented among the 450 qualified ARBs in the province.

PARPO II Florentino Siladan, on the other hand, said that women should be engaged in the production of nutritious agricultural products with focus on high value vegetable production.

“The production of high value vegetable crop in the locality would increase income, enhance livelihood opportunity and promote healthy living” according to Siladan.

The ARBold Move likewise involved other key components such as support to ARBs as frontliners in the food supply chain, and package of supplemental of food and non-food items for 14 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBOs) and 704 ARBs in Antique.

Further, the project was sourced from the realigned budget of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Services Program amounting to P1.8 million. (LTP/LML-PIA6 Antique)