DAR-Italian projects reinforce farming activities of Sargen farmers
AGRICULTURE • 18:30 PM Fri Nov 22, 2019
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By:
Agnes Rosete Torino – DAR
Italian officials and DAR officials in Sarangani and Gen. Santos City turn over development projects in the province for DAR agrarian reform communities.
GEN. SANTOS CITY – Some 2,000 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Sarangani province and in General Santos City were jubilant as they received P53 million worth of infrastructure projects from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) - Italian Assistance to Agrarian Reform Communities Development Support Program (IARCDSP) and local government units (LGUs).
ARBs and Non-ARBs in two Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) of Kiamba saw additional aid to boost their productivity through four units of Solar Dryers turned-over in Barangay Tambilil, Datu Dani, Tablao and Salakit.
Residents in Barangay Tambilil were also grateful with the Day Care Center built for their children. This structure is the first day care center donated under DAR-IARCDSP.
Meanwhile, the Datal Bila Farm-to-Market-Road (FMR) and Talus-Upper Biangan FMR, all in Malungon and the San Jose Undok-Blagan FMR and Tinagacan Purok 8-Purok 20 FMR in General Santos City, now provide ease in hauling and delivery of farm products.
Abdul Rahim S. Paidumama, San Jose Barangay chairperson, expressed his gratitude to DAR-IARCDSP and LGU for including the most inaccessible area in his barangay.
“Those times when I had to pass by this steep and rugged road which become muddy and slippery on rainy days, prompted me to take a leadership role and helped our community get access to development projects. This is indeed a dream come true for me and my fellow Indigenous Peoples (Lumads),” Paidumama recalled.
Dr. Ricardo Mattei, program manager and representative of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation of Rome, Italy, said: “It has not been easy for me to visualize the happenings and development needs of this part of the world, but with my visit here I have seen how much you appreciated our little contribution.”
Mattei congratulated DAR-IARCDSP team and the local government units for materializing the projects amidst numerous requirements.
On the part of DAR, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Felix C. Frias thanked Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, Mayor Danny A. Martinez of Kiamba, Atty. Maria Theresa D. Constantino of Malungon, and Gen. Santos City Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera for supporting the development projects which he hoped would benefit not only the ARBs but also non-ARBs and the indigenous peoples in the ARCs.
He further said that the DAR-IARCDSP will stir more ARBs and farmers within the ARCs toward greater economic activities through the microfinance component of the program.