The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) last week identified P324 million worth of agricultural projects for Mindanao, to help improve the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the area.
Implemented under the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (Minsaad) project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, a total of 46 projects related to agriculture were provided in 27 provinces in Northern Mindanao, Davao and Soccsksargen.
These include farm-to-market roads, bridges, irrigation, rural water systems, postharvest facilities, and machinery for processing, production and marketing of farm produce.
Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, who distributed the projects, said the Minsaad project would continue to focus on agriculture, agribusiness and agro-forestry development as well as rural infrastructure. These, he added, would contribute to DAR’s support services that aim to improve the lives of ARBs in Mindanao.
“Our farmers need to be strengthened and supported so that we will be able to enhance their economic lives,” he said. “The infrastructure projects and the various more that enhance the crops and products of the farmers are manifestations of government agencies’ unity to help improve peace in Mindanao as poverty is one of the reasons of insurgency.”
The Minsaad is a poverty alleviation project that focuses on sustainable agricultural development.