P4.4B project to support Mindanao farmers

MANILA, Philippines - About 70,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Mindanao are to benefit from a P4.4-billion poverty alleviation project funded by Japan, the government reported on Monday.

The project, called the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MINSAAD), is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and is expected to aid farmers in 216 barangays in Mindanao where an estimated 404,175 residents live.

MINSAAD Director Nasser Musali said the project aims to improve agricultural productivity and increase the income of agrarian reform beneficiaries and small-scale farmers through infrastructure and capacity-building projects.

The entire project includes construction of farm-to-market roads, bridges, irrigations and potable water systems, and the provision of technical and financial assistance to farmers.

Musali said the project consists of a P3.3-billion loan from JICA and P1.1 billion in counterpart funding from the government.

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary Jerry Pacturan said the project is supported by the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) within the state agency.

“Through ARCCESS, the DAR provides professional agri-extension services, business development and enterprise to (agrarian reform beneficiary) organizations, and accessible agricultural credit for all crops, grants common service facilities, and ensures land tenure stability in distributed lands such as the settlement areas and the construction of rural infrastructure,” Pacturan said.