DAR builds Solar Pump Irrigation System in ARCs in Cagayan province

The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) has provided funds thru its DAR Central Office, for the construction of the initial three (3) solar pump irrigation system in Cagayan province with technology provided by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soil and Water Management (DA-BSWM). The project costs approximately P877,500.00 per site.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System project will provide solar panels and control accessories that will generate solar energy. Submersible water pumps will draw water from an underground source into concrete water tanks as storage,  and the water from the storage tank shall flow into the vegetable farms through pipes. 

The three pilot sites for the solar pump irrigation systems are located in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), specfically: (1) San Esteban Farmers Cooperative in the Eastern Alcala Agrarian Reform Community (Eastern Alcala ARC) in the municipality of Alcala; (2) Lasvinag Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Lasvinag Agrarian Reform Community (Lasvinag ARC) in the municipality of Gattaran; and (3) Nabbotuan Multi-Purpose Cooperative in the Furaban Agrarian Reform Community (Furaban ARC) in the municipality of Solana. 

On December 18, 2017, an Operation and Maintenance Seminar was conducted to prepare the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) members to be able to properly operate and maintain the facilities with a site visit to familiarize the participants with the system.

The Solar Pump Irrigation System resolves the vegetable farmers’ water supply challenges specially with today’s devastating effects of climate change. When operational, they can utilize the systems to provide water to irrigate their vegetable farms, household water supply, livestock raising, etc. The construction of solar pump irrigation systems in the pilot sites are expected to be completed by the end of January 2018 and will be turned over to the ARBO immediately after completion.  

Solar panels provide energy to run the water pumps in vegetable farms with no access to electricity. 

A training on the operation and maintenance was conducted for the recipient-operators of the project. 

Members of the three ARBO-recipients of the project in Cagayan undergo training on operation and maintenance. 

Unlimited water for vegetable farmers through the solar pump (submersible) irrigation system. 

 

Cagayan farmer leaders attend orientation on Participatory Governance

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- More than 500 officers and key members of some 58 agrarian reform organizations in the province of Cagayan attended an orientation on Participatory Governance sometime last November, 2017 as a part of the activities conducted during the 2017 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) Summit, peoples’ participation in nation building being one of the key topics during the gathering. The orientation was conducted by Mr Nathaniel Gumangan, PRO of the Kilusang Pagbabago in Cagayan Valley Region (Region 02). Also present during the orientation were PARCCOM member Napoleon Baltazar and Mr. Loreto Batara, Community Administrative Officer V of the Office of Participatory Governance (OPG)  in Malacanang, Manila.  

Participatory governance is a decision-making process that encourages the involvement of more farmers and other stakeholders who chip-in more ideas and inputs to come up with common decisions that fulfill the needs or desire of the majority. The outcome of any decision under this process is generally accepted and facilitates the smoother implementation of a project or program.

The Kilusang Pagbabago is a grassroots-based movement intended to be the eyes of the Duterte administration in ensuring that the delivery of government developmental interventions such as village-level programs and projects truly benefit the masses. It is also the partner of the Duterte administration in pursuing its rural development efforts, specifically, the war against poverty, criminality, and any form of graft and corruption in government.

The orientation also discussed the important provisions of Malacanang Executive Order No. 9, Series of 2016 regarding the creation of the Office of Participatory Governance (OPG) and its functions, such as: (a) Promote and ensure the direct participation of various stakeholders in the crafting and formulation of policies and programs to address concerns at the grassroots level; (b) Initiate programs and projects that will facilitate citizen empowerment and participation in governance at the national, regional and local levels; and (c) Perform such other functions as may be necessary to achieve the above stated goals of the OPG as directed by the CabinetSecretary. 

The Kilusang Pagbabago aims to be a people’s movement that would serve as President Duterte’s partner for change by serving as a watchdog that will fight corruption and ensure that government did not wander from a pro-people agenda. It was also explained to the participants how they can freely utilize the power of the Dial 8888 hotline where the public can file complaints against government officials/offices.

It was restated that citizens in their communities can participate in governance by being informed about issues affecting their quality of life directly and bringing their concerns to the government as guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution. 

Author with Nap Baltazar, Program Director and Nath Gumangan, Public Relations Officer, Kilusang Pagbabago-Cagayan Valley LOI. 

More that 500 ARB cooperative/organization officers and key members from Cagayan province attended the Orientation on Participatory Governance facilitated by Kilusang Pagbabago-Cagayan Valley LOI.

Interfacing with ARB Cooperative leaders on specific issues on participatory governance. 

Message from Larry Batarra, CAO V, Office of Participatory Governance, Malacanang

CABAYABASAN ARB COOP COOKS WITH FREE UNLI METHANE GAS

Another agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO), that is, Cabayabasan Farmers Credit Cooperative in the Nueva Segovia Agrarian Reform Community in Lallo, Cagayan province is now enjoying the benefits of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s CPWASH project.

Methane is an important natural gas commonly used for fuel and electricity generation. 

A CPWASH is a potable water project implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) which stands for Community-Managed Potable Water Supply and Hygiene project. It is a regular project being undertaken by DAR to install low-cost water supply technology and sanitation systems that provides safe, clean and potable water for the agrarian reform beneficiary households in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs).

The first chamber of the bio-gas digester.

A CPWASH project is composed of four sub-projects, that is: (1) the rain water collector to hoard and store rainwater to be recycled before it reaches the aquifer; (2) the bio-sand filter to remove pathogens and suspended particles and reduce discoloration, odor and unpleasant taste; (3) the iron removal filter, to filter iron from the water to eliminate staining, the unpleasant smell and taste of the water; and (4) the bio-gas digester to convert organic waste into usable fuel. Funds for the projects are sourced from DAR and some counterpart from the LGU and the proponent cooperative/ARBO.

The second chamber of the bio-gas digester under construction. 

Unlimited bio-gas fuel for cooking is now available for the beneficiaries through the methane from the bio-gas digester. The raw materials for methane production comes from the animal waste of swine raised by the ARBs. As such, significantly large costs for cooking fuel is saved by ARBs. The ARB households have also stopped the traditional use of firewood as fuel for cooking in the community. The output from the digester (digested waste) can also be used as a high quality organic liquid fertilizer which can be sold for farmers at a much lower price than commercial fertilizers.

The second chamber being attached to the first chamber bio-gas digester which is later cemented. 

Farmers who have completed the CPWASH hands-on training will also be given Certificates of Training as Para-Engineers and can be summoned to build other CPWASH facility on other sites, which is another business opportunity for them or their cooperatives. 

The completed and installed operational bio-gas digester already producing methane gas fuel.

Installing the water filters.  Photos courtesy of Engr. Domingo Garello

Inspecting the Bio-gas facility, now the source of unlimited earth-friendly fuel gas for cooking.

Trying out the improvised gas burner. 

Turn-over by DARPO Cagayan to LGU Lallo of Kabayabas CPWASH Project. 

Inspecting the potable water after passing through the Iron Removal Filter. 

Photos courtesy of: Engr. Domingo Garello, Ms. Emely Salvatierra and Ms. Issandra Miguel

Flying fish processing center rises via VLPCEP center

Itbud, Uyugan,Batanes – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently launched the Village Level Processing Center Enhancement Project (VLPCEP) for the Milagrosa Multi-Purpose Cooperative, an agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) cooperative engaged in the processing of flying fish into bottled Spanish sardines.

Milagrosa MPC received a grant from the DAR amounting to P180,000.00 for the construction their fish processing center consisting of a 3.33m X 5.0m corrugated GI sheet building under the VLPCEP. The VLPCEP project is designed primarily to enhance the existing processing center with development support initiative for ARB cooperatives and other ARB organizations (ARBO), improve their capability to produce quality processed products that are highly competitive in the mainstream market including services to its members.

Further, it helps develop market- competitive Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO) products through product development (e.g., labelling, packaging designs, etc.) and enrich enterprise and livelihood activities at the community level in the selected agrarian reform areas. The VLPCEP is also intended to develop homegrown products for better opportunities and linkage to potential markets.

Aside from processing flying fish into bottled Spanish sardines, the Milagrosa MPC also processes one-day old flying fish, a popular delicacy only found in Batanes, so called because the flying fish is set to dry for one day on hot stones under the sun. Also, they process the flying fish into fish balls and fish lumpia.

DAR will continue to provide capability building and skills enhancement including monitoring to sustain the project. It has also coordinated with other CARP implementing agencies such as the: Bureau of Food and Drugs for quality assurance and for Milagrosa MPC to be duly registered with BFAD and avail a license; Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will also conduct trainings for cooperators and assists in the marketing aspect. Other agencies such as DOLE and DOST are likewise involved in the project. 

Links: 

Milagrosa MPC Fish Processing Center

Batanes "Dibang" one-day old flying fish

Famous Food Delicacies in Batanes

Ivatan ARBs resort to rainwater harvesting for veggie farms

The members of the San Joaquin Agrarian ReformBeneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (San Joaquin ARB-MPC) in barangay San Antonio, Basco, Batanes have found a way to harvest and store rainwater to supply the much needed fresh water for their vegetable farms during periods where water supply is scarce such as droughts and during months of insufficient rainfall in the typhoon path island province of Batanes in northern Philippines. The situation is further complicated as the available land for these vegetable farms are also located right beside the shores of the great Pacific Ocean.

The San Joaquin ARB-MPC is an agrarian reform beneficiary organization located within the San Antonio Agrarian Reform Community (San Antonio ARC). An ARC is a barangay at the minimum or a cluster of contiguous barangays where there is a critical mass of farmers and farm workers awaiting the full implementation of agrarian reform. The farmers and the farm workers will anchor the integrated development of the area.

Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting rainwater for household water use, additionally, water for livestock and small irrigation. Also, it is a means to replenish groundwater levels. The common mode of rainwater harvesting is through rooftop rainwater harvesting projects. This activity addresses issues of ground water depletion brought about in part by global warming. There are reasons for ground water depletion such as: (1) Increasing demand of ground water; (2) Extracting more than recharge; (3) Reduction of recharge area due to infrastructure, road asphalting/concreting, (4) Shrinking surface water bodies; and (5) Uncertain rainfall due to climate change.

For centuries the town of Venice depended on rainwater harvesting because the lagoon surrounding Venice is made of brackish water which is not suitable for human drinking. The ancient residents of Venice developed a system of rainwater collection in order to have water to drink. As Venice acquired territories on the mainland, it started to import water by boat from local rivers.

At present, rainwater harvesting is being practiced around the world to counter the effects of climate change and has been adopted and intensified in other countries such as in Bermuda, where they have a law that requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting adequate for the residents. The U.S. Virgin Islands also have a similar law. In Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, there are houses that are frequently equipped with homemade rainwater harvesters. In Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and communities rely on mud-lined rainwater ponds to meet their drinking water needs throughout the dry season. Some of these ponds are centuries old and are treated with great reverence and respect. In New Mexico, rainwater catchment is mandatory for new dwellings in Santa Fe. In the USA, Texas offers a sales tax exemption on the purchase of rainwater harvesting equipment. Oklahoma passed a law in 2012, to promote pilot projects for rainwater use among other water saving techniques. In Beijing, some housing societies are now adding rainwater in their main water sources after proper treatment (source: Wikipedia). 

The rainwater harvesting facility operated by the San Joaquin Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (San Joaquin ARB-MPC) in barangay San Antonio, Basco, Batanes was constructed through the initiative of the Local Government Unit (LGU) under the Bottom-Up Budgeting/Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (BUB-GPB) program with a cost of P1.9 million. It has provided the agrarian reform beneficiaries an opportunity to make the land productive and consequently increased their income. 

The rainwater harvesting facility helps mitigate the devastating effects of climate change and provides some relief for agrarian reform beneficiaries engaged in organic vegetable production. 

DAR Region 02 Regional Director Homer P. Tobias, CESO III, climbing to the roof to inspect the rainwater harvesting facility of the San Joaquin ARB-MPC. 

Rainwater collects on the roof and is stored in these tanks for future use. 

Freshwater always made available through the rainwater harvesting facility for vegetable farms like these situated along the Pacific Ocean. 

The P1.9 million BUB-GPB funded rainwater harvesting facility of San Joaquin ARB-MPC in barangay San Antonio, Basco, Batanes.

Cagayan ARC Clusters identified as World Bank-IPAC project sites

There are two Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) Clusters in Cagayan province which were identified as project sites for the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved World Bank- Inclusive Partnership for AgriculturalCompetitiveness (IPAC) project. The project is aimed at helping farmers improve their standard of living, reduce poverty incidence, and develop the agri-business industry in the province in general.

The Department of Agrarian Reform-World Bank IPAC is a P10-billion project that will be funded by World Bank with counterparts from the national and local government which will cover 13 qualified regions such as Region 02 in the Cagayan Valley.

Cagayan province in Region 02 has been identified as one of the project sites wherein two Agrarian Reform Community Clusters, namely the Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster and the Cagayan South ARC Cluster are now preparing for the implementation of the project.

An ARC cluster is composed of two or more agrarian reform communities (ARCs) who have banded together to share resources, to work together to attain economies of scale and to expand their business operations that will include other municipalities.

The ARC Cluster shall be promoted as the convergence point of all government program implemented by government agencies such that each program and project is complimentary and supportive to each other. The strategy shall adopt a more comprehensive and integrated approach to rural development through collaborative efforts by all stake holders and partners. The bottom line objective is to improve productivity and income of the farmers by focusing agribusiness development of agro-industrial crops and to create economies of scale and active, harmonious and peaceful communities.

Another aim of this strategy is to widen the impact area that the ARC Program has started. It is intended to concretely operationalize partnership and convergence of development interventions in the rural areas not only in ARCs but to include the Non-ARC communities. 

The Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster is composed of 8 ARCs in 3 municipalities, includes of the following ARCs: Sunrise ARC (Gattaran), TANASICATCU ARC (Gattaran), LASVINAG ARC (Gattaran), Eastern Alcala ARC (Alcala), Greenfields ARC (Alcala), Evergreen ARC (Baggao), NALASBANGCA ARC (Baggao) and Insan-As-Viba ARC (Baggao). The Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster shall develop an integrated grains and livestock production, processing and marketing enterprises.

The Cagayan South ARC Cluster, on the other hand, is composed of nine (9) ARCs located in five (5) municipalities: NASUERTECA ARC (Amulung), Malaueg ARC (Rizal), MADOVILLA ARC (Piat), CACABLAY ARC (Tuao), SALAMIN ARC (Tuao), SABUNG ARC (Tuao), Western Solana ARC (Solana), FURABAN ARC (Solana) and ROBA ARC (Enrile). The Cagayan South ARC Cluster shall develop an integrated livestock and aquaculture production, processing and marketing enterprises.

The main objective of IPAC is to enhance access to markets and competitiveness of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), smallholder and landless farmers in the targeted agrarian reform community (ARC) clusters.

The project will also capacitate organized farmers who are members of farmers’ organizations such agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs),  to engage market-oriented production and agri-business. Also, to increase access to  appropriate and sustainable production, post-harvest, processing technology and agri-extension services.

The IPAC project will enhance the linkage of farmers and ARBOs/farmers organizations to markets and establish business partnership between them and private sector traders.

Establishing farm-to-market roads is just one of the government's projects which are in line with IPAC's goals.

The project is awarded to organizations already capable of managing their respective cooperatives. It will also enable them to continue their existing farm programs through support services and access to loans.

DAR‘s target implementation of the project is in the middle of 2017, with other line agencies like Department of Agriculture, and Land Bank of the Philippines as the credit program’s depository agency.

DAR Central Office said that P4,358,483 loaned from the WB will make up 42.93 percent of the P10,154,392 total budget for the IPAC Project. The national government will put in P4,543,099 or 44.74 percent of the total amount, local government units will allot P20,449 or 0.20 percent, and farmers' organizations will contribute 1,232,000 or 12.13 percent.

Land distribution is not the sole task of DAR. It also provides support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries empower them to become economically productive and successful agri-entrepreneurs. 

DAR-Cagayan launches two Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) Clusters

The Departmentof Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Region 02, specifically, the DAR provincial office of Cagayan-Batanes formally launched two Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) clusters, that is, (1) Cagayan South ARC Cluster and the (2) Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster, on December 20, 2016 in a ceremony held at the Auditorium of the Lighthouse Cooperative in Tuguegarao City attended by no less than DAR Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng Mariano and other officials of the national government agencies, LGUs, and around four hundred (400) members and leaders of civil society organizations operating in the province of Cagayan.

An ARC is a barangay or cluster of contiguous barangays within a municipality where majority of the CARP-covered lands have been awarded to a critical mass of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs). The ARC development approach was adopted in 1993 as the primary strategy of the DAR in rationalizing the use of government resources in delivering services to the ARBs. The Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) play a vital role as conduits of various interventions to transform it into a hub upon which development processes revolve.

Launching of two ARC Clusters by DAR Sec. Rafael "Ka Paeng Mariano 

ARC Cluster development builds on the strength of the ARCs with high level of development which may serve as integrator for ARCs with lower development levels and in complementation with other ARCs and non-ARC barangays within and/or outside the municipalities for an identified common development goal. Connectivity provides for the establishment of correlation between and among the enterprises developed to strengthen and complement the ARBOs’ economic activities.

There are nine ARCs within the Cagayan South ARC Cluster composed of: NASUERTECA ARC in Amulung, Malaueg ARC in Rizal, MADOVILLA ARC in Piat, CACABLAY ARC, SALAMIN ARC, SABUNG ARC in Tuao, Western Solana ARC, FURABAN ARC in Solana and the ROBA ARC in Enrile, all in the province of Cagayan.

Lined up activities and projects for the Cagayan South ARC Cluster include: integrated crop, livestock and aquaculture production; processing and marketing with rice, corn and sugarcane as major products; establishment of rice mill/corn mill; establishment of livestock auction market; and development of inland aquaculture ponds. Support industries include: feedmill, organic fertilizer production, small scale livestock and Free-range chicken raising, processing of sugarcane by-products, vegetable and HVCC production, processing and marketing, and Tilanggit processing.

Four Enterprise Models will be implemented in the cluster for the following commodities : Model I- Integrated Rice Production and Marketing System; Model II- Village Level Livestock Raising and Marketing; Model III- Enhanced Sugarcane Production through Block Farming; and Model IV-  Aquaculture Development

The Cagayan Grains Central Cluster, on the other hand includes ten ARCs: SAMANADA ARC and Nueva Segovia ARC in Lallo; Sunrise ARC, TANASICATCU ARC and LASVINAG ARC in Gattaran; Eastern Alcala ARC and Greenfields ARC in Alcala; Evergreen ARC, NALASBANGCA ARC and Insan-As-Viba ARC in Baggao, all in Cagayan.

Slated projects and activities for the Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster include: integrated Grains and Livestock Production, Processing and Marketing with rice, corn and livestock as major products; establishment of three primary enterprises to process the major products; rice mill, feed mill and meat processing. Major support industries include: rice and corn production; large cattle, small ruminants and free-range chicken raising; and organic fertilizer production.

Three Enterprise Models will be implemented in the cluster proposed to provide market for its products: Model I-  Integrated Grains Production, Processing and Marketing; Model II- Feed mill; and Model III- Village Level Meat Processing.

To establish major agri-enterprises and support businesses wholly owned by the ARBOs as initial hub enterprises that shall encourage the emergence of other support and/or corollary enterprises.

The ARCs within the cluster will function as producers of palay and corn. The proposed mill shall be the primary market that will process the grains into its various marketable form.  The ARCCESS project in SAMMANADA ARC will play a major role as primary production area.  Its ARBO (NCMPC) shall assume leadership in production.  Sunrise, TANASICATCU, LASVINAG and Nueva Segovia ARCs shall be expansion areas, especially on organic rice due to proximity.  NALASBANGCA, Insan-As-Viba, Evergreen and Greenfields ARCs shall be secondary production areas.  The Cagayan Grains Central ARC Cluster shall manage the rice/feed mills.  The ARBOs will serve as buying stations of the mills.  Milled rice will be primarily marketed in the cluster with the ARBOs again serving as bigasan centers.

The Meat Processing Center shall gather its stocks from the individual as well as ARBO-based production in the cluster. The feedmill shall process by-products from the grains mill and the sugar mill incorporating discards from the aquaculture business, complemented by fish refuse from local public markets.  Feeds shall be marketed through the ARBOs, as retail centers.  Consequently, because most raw materials are locally sourced, feed prices are expected to be lower than commercial counterparts.

Organic fertilizer production shall be undertaken, either individually or collectively.  Products shall be collected by the federation, refined and repacked before distributed to the different ARBO outlets.  Refined fertilizer mixed with humus and especially packed shall be marketed as growing soil. 

"Let us protect the rights of farmers." -DAR Secretary Rafael V. Mariano 

The Development Objectives for the ARC Clusters are: To increase family farm income by 20% at the end of 2020; To increase productivity of major commodities by 30%  every 2 years; To enhance market linkages for major commodities with value-added quality and make the ARBOs competitive with its ASEAN neighbors; To strengthen the organizational and economic functionality of ARBOs thru coop Federation; To  make accessible to ARBs the economic and social infrastructures thru rehabilitation and construction by the end of 2020; To improve and enhanced  production  and processing technologies on rice, corn, sugarcane and other crops; and To establish major agri-enterprises and support businesses wholly owned by the ARBOs as initial hub enterprises that shall encourage the emergence of other support and/or corollary enterprises.

Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) draw Convergence Services

The Department of Agrarian Reform launched the Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) in 1993 for its key program for national development. In the past, DAR has concentrated mainly on the distribution of land to the landless farmers, while this is the core of any agrarian reform program, experience has shown that this is not sufficient to raise the quality of life of the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). And that a strategic development was created which we call the ARCs wherein DAR has focused and realigned its priorities towards the development of viable agrarian reform communities. It is the ARCs where DAR has been intensifying its interventions to increase farm production, improve household income and promote sustainable development. With ARCs, the Department, in partnership with other CARP implementing agencies, local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) have a structure for concentrating its resources and development efforts. Development interventions focus on Land Tenure Improvement (LTI) and Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD) to ensure economic, political, environmental and socio-cultural viability of the ARCs.

In 1995, the President of the Philippines issued Administrative Order No. 194 for the adoption of the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) convergence policy and its operationalization, which is considered a milestone in the field of rural development. The Administrative Order identifies Agrarian Reform Communities, among others, as convergence areas where the various agencies and entities shall focus their resources, services and interventions. The key components of ARC development are: (1) land Tenure Improvement (LTI); Social Infrastructure and Local Capability Building (SILCAB); (3) Sustainable Area-based Rural Enterprise Development (SARED); and (4) Basic Social Services Development (BSSD) including Gender and Development.

The ARC concept: An ARC is a barangay at the minimum or a cluster of contiguous barangays where there is a critical mass of farmers and farm workers awaiting the full implementation of agrarian reform. The farmers and the farm workers will anchor the integrated development of the area.

VISION: A nation where there is equitable land ownership with empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries who are effectively managing their economic and social development for a better quality of life.

MISSION: To implement CARP through the distribution of lands and provision of support services in order to attain social equity and promote sustainable development.

The National Scene: Access to land is essential to ensure that rural growth will substantially benefit the rural poor. A highly inequitable distribution of productive assets, such as land, does not only limit the participation of the poor in production growth but also stifles the potential of the country to achieve long-term growth. For more than six decades, land reform has been (and is still) the constant battle cry in the Philippines. Agriculture contributed almost P485 billion worth of the nation’s domestic goods and services in 1997. Three-fifths (3/5) or about 49 million of the population live in the countryside and nearly half (19 million) of the labor force work in the agricultural sector.

At present, there are 6 out of very 10 Filipinos who continue to live below the poverty line due to inequality in income distribution, among others. More than half of the nation’s wealth is controlled by the richest 20% while the bottom half of the population gets only one-fifth. In 1997, 44% of the rural families are living below the poverty line especially the rice, sugarcane, coconut and corn farmers.

The Tasks: To empower the farmer-beneficiaries through the following processes: (1) landownership and control of productive resources through distribution of remaining 1.1 million hectares (nationwide) of land to farming families within five years and maintain the efficiency standard for resolving agrarian cases; (2) promoting and strengthening the social institutions at the community level and at different levels of governance by enhancing the capability of the program partners, intensifying agrarian reform beneficiaries development, consolidating existing ARCs and expanding the rural development interventions in non-ARC areas; and (3) increasing access to productive resources by working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), other line agencies and local government units (LGUs) towards a convergence of services to meet the needs of ARCs, better management and increase foreign assisted projects, establishment of a joint-venture business arrangement between farmers and agribusiness firms, meaningful partnership with autonomous societal actors in land reform and rural development undertakings.

Strategies: In the implementation of the above-mentioned tasks, the following strategies shall be utilized: (a) completion of land distribution; (b) convergence mwith DA, DENR, strategic line agencies and LGUs focusing on specific crops, commodities and integrated farming systems; (c) continuation of the ARC development by expanding to embrace all ARBs, especially those not included in the existing ARCs and convergence zones; (d) social marketing campaign; (e) organization development of the DAR bureaucracy.

The agrarian reform agenda is grounded on three equally important principles with respect to the rural sector: economic development, social justice, and political democratization. Consistent with these three distinct but related principles and congruent with DAR’s vision and mission, the implementation of the ARC Development Plan has to be enhanced and expanded to contribute to the achievement of food security, poverty reduction, and countryside development. /cds

Three Cagayan Valley towns into Sugarcane Block Farming

Planning workshop of DAR and ARB
coops for block sugar faming

The Sugarcane Block Farming project is currently being implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform provincial office of Cagayan wherein small farms owned by agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in sugar-producing areas are being consolidated to increase the ARBs’ profitability through ‘block’ farming. Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II) Virgilio M. Acasili said the implementation of the project is pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed between and among the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Under the MOA, the DAR will shoulder the cost of farm tractors and business development services. The DA will cover the development of irrigation facilities and the improvement of farm-to-mill roads while the SRA will shoulder the cost of agri-technology and overall management of the block farms.

At least two (2) municipalities in Cagayan province are preparing to engage in sugarcane block farming to increase profitability and  also a way of preparing our ARB-sugar farmers against the effects of competition resulting from the implementation of the free trade agreement within the ASEAN region by 2015,  when the tariffs on agricultural goods can be as low as five percent to even zero.

The demand for sugar is continuously rising due to the increasing requirements for production of bioethanol (from sugar) and in power cogeneration which uses sugarcane waste called bagasse. Presently, energy companies are allowed to import bioethanol to supply their needs as local production cannot meet the current demand. Bioethanol made from sugarcane consumes the least amount of energy and emits the least amount of greenhouse gas, which means it is one of the most earth-friendly power sources.

The local sugar industry’s biggest competition is the entry of cheaper sugar from Thailand and is considered as a real threat that can affect local production and pull down domestic prices to the prejudice of local farmers. Sugar from the Philippines is still being exported with the United States as its major market. According to the SRA, sugar exports will soon include India, Korea, Indonesia and the Middle East.

Sugarcane block farming will happen in the municipalities of Solana and Tuao, all in the south-western part of Cagayan province where large tracks of lands are planted to sugarcane that provide the raw materials for the Cagayan RobinaSugar Milling Company (CARSUMCO) in Sto. Domingo, Piat, Cagayan. Also included in the project is Cabagan town in Isabela province. 

Under the block farming system, small farms of agrarian reform beneficiaries with areas of less than 10 hectares will be consolidated and integrated into 30-50 hectares through various schemes such as contracting, joint venture, partnership and sharing.

The block farms will be managed as one farm so that activities in the small individual farms are synchronized to the plans of the whole block, Hence, resources including farm workers, equipment and financing, could be utilized more efficiently. Although the farms are operated as a block, the ARB remains as the absolute owner of their farm, they will not lose ownership of their land titles. The block farms will be managed by their farmers’ organizations or cooperatives who will be assisted by a farm manager hired and supervised by the SRA.

Block farming is the consolidation of small farms to help increase productivity and to widen the scale of sugar production. ARBs are encouraged to organize themselves into cooperatives to make their farm operations more cost-efficient which will result to lesser cost of production resulting to more profitable per unit area. It is a support services program intended for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries.

The government is targeting to have at least 100 sugarcane block farm sites by 2015. The average sugar cane yield per hectare is currently at 60 tons but this can be increased to 70-80 tons per hectare through farm mechanization and improved production process.

Under the block farming system, DAR provides all that the farmers will need such as farm inputs, new farm techniques and common service facilities that consists of a mechanized tractors and a hauling trucks, etc.  These inputs and farm equipment will  be provided as grants to the farmers’ cooperatives being the conduit between DAR, etc and the farmer-beneficiaries who are parties to the project.

           According to studies conducted by SRA, the program can help increase their sugar cane production from 99 to 147 bags of sugar per hectare, which could be translated to a possible increase in income of about P39, 000 for the farmer-beneficiaries. /cds 

DAR-Cagayan Valley resumes radio program

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) regional office in Tuguegarao has resumed the early morning radio program for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) after a brief absence from the airwaves. The Rang-Ay Ti Away radio program provides farmer-beneficiaries the latest news and information about what’s going on about the agrarian reform program. It is being broadcasted over PBS-Radyo ng Bayan’s DWPE in Tuguegarao at 5:00 A.M. to 5:30 A.M. co-anchored by Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Joselito Garcia and DAR Information Officer Ms. Luthgarda Sibbaluca. The radio program has a wide following among farmers as it has been on the air for a long period of time previously anchored by veteran broadcasters MARO Arthur Urata and CARPO Francisco Dela Cruz who have retired. Other DAR personnel have also briefly held the radio program and successfully sustained the information campaign on agrarian reform and rural community development.

A Radio program has a wide array of formats which can reach various listeners and can be complemented with a specific advertising message, in this case, information about agrarian reform.  In Cagayan provinces, many people listen to radio while going to and from work. Additionally, it is the main source of entertainment in far flung places where television reception is poor, people listen in the evening while relaxing or while waiting for dinner.

Radio also delivers your message to everyone quickly, that is, your message or advertisement can be heard immediately. Radio advertising is intrusive, that is, it interrupts on your listening, and your only choice is to listen or change the channel, or put the radio off. It also reaches a wider range of audience than television or the newspaper and can be targeted to specific consumer segments, in this case, the farmers and their households. Your ads/message can also be repeated often and will register in the minds of the listeners.

The Rang-Ay Ti Away radio program will feature agrarian reform activities throughout the Cagayan valley region such as regular information on DAR’s land acquisition and distribution, activities on support services delivery like infrastructure projects in agrarian reform areas, institutional development especially farmers’ cooperatives and other agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations, agrarian justice delivery, matters promoting gender and development and agrarian reform beneficiaries’ success stories, among many others.

A Research conducted in Europe disclosed that radio is chosen as a lifestyle support system, to help people feel better as they go about their daily lives. Additionally, Michael C. Keith, a professor at Boston College and a leading scholar in history and electronic media, disclosed that "Radio is like ice cream," he said, "You choose the station that tastes best to you - the flavor you like the best is going to give you enjoyment." /christiandsales