Dubbed the Agricultural Growth through Information and Knowledge Networking (e-AGRIKultura), the project is expected to facilitate development in the countryside.
DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said the recipient of the pilot e-community center in Aklan were the Tag-osip-El Progreso Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Multipurpose Cooperative, and farmers in Barangays Balusbod, El Progreso, Nazareth, Tag-osip, Cabugan, and Habana agrarian reform communities (ARCs).
The ARCs are clusters of barangays with resident farmers who received land grants from the DAR.
Development initiatives from national government service agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, and foreign donor communities are funneled to ARCs in support the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
"Through the e-AGRIKultura centers, farmers would be able to access online information on the latest agricultural technologies, marketing opportunities and events, which could help them explore potential business opportunities," Pangandaman explained.
The Aklan e-community center is one of the six e-AGRIKultura centers that will be established nationwide by the government through DAR.
Each e-community center will be equipped with computers, printers, monitors, modems, CD writers, a scanner, photocopier, web camera, and digital camera.
"This project is important to the marginal farmers and farmers in remote areas (because it) will introduce them to the world of computers and all that it has to offer. It will also equalize the playing field among our marginal and upland farmers," said Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Daniel Martelino.