Empowering small farmers for self-reliance

In its pursuit to uplift the economic condition of the marginalized farmers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. 6 through its Negros Occidental Field Office (NOFO) released a Php1 million livelihood assistance to the Rice and Fertilizer Trading Project of the Sta. Rosa Small Farmers Association (STARSFA) in Sta. Rosa, Murcia, Negros Occidental.

The 57 farmer-members requested the Regional Office for financial assistance and DOLE Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr., who understands the plight of small farmers, approved and pushed for its immediate implementation.

“Small farmers with insufficient capitalization usually borrow money from lending institutions and pay high interest for the preparation and maintenance of their farms,” Atty. Rodriguez said,” we need to empower them and help them become self-reliant through the livelihood project.”

The newly-opened Rice and Trading Center will provide STARSFA an alternative source of income through retailing of important household and farm commodities.

“This project will augment their needs during lean months and the off season and will keep them from usurers and lending companies,” added DOLE-RO No.6-NOFO head Mary Agnes N. Capigon.

“Dako gid ini nga bulig sa mga taga-STARSFA kag sa pumuluyo sang Old Barrio kag Barangay Sta. Rosa. Indi na kami magkadto sa banwa para lang magbakal ka abono kag bugas. Diri mismo sa amon lugar may baklan na kami. Madamo nga salamat DOLE (The project is very beneficial for the STARSFA members and for the people of the Old Barrio and Brgy. Sta. Rosa. With it, we don’t need to go to the town to buy fertilizers and rice. Thank you so much DOLE),” STARSFA chair Joel L. Pabello said.

The turnover of the inputs was facilitated by Senior LEOs Elmer D. Gimay and Ms. Rosalie P. Guilaran with Executive Assistant to the Office of the Municipal Mayor Erwin Rommel P. Apua,, Vice Mayor Hon. Johnny Reosora, PESO Designate Ms. Xenia D. Peña; Sta. Rosa Punong Brgy. Mr. Larry E. Alvarez, and project monitoring partners Ms. Anna Turbela, Principal of Manuel Regalado Elementary School and Ms. Melissa Lobaton from Sta. Rosa Seventh-Day Adventist Church.