DAR-SK provides P306K worth of aid to farmers amid COVID-19 pandemic
AGRICULTURE • 07:00 AM Sat May 16, 2020
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By:
Kathleen S. Pagayon/DAR-SK)
ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat - Through the issuance of Quarantine Accreditation Passes (QAPs) to farmer groups in Sultan Kudarat, the Department of Agrarian Reform provided marketing assistance to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries' Organizations (ARBOs) by linking them to micro and small enterprises and buyers, thereby securing food sustainability in and around the province.
A total of P306,218-worth of vegetables like corn, peanuts, ampalaya and other high value crops were sold by farmer groups assisted by DAR Sultan Kudarat under the LinksFarmm Project and Farm Business School Program of the department.
These ARBOs include Sitio Lagon Farmers' MPC from Pres.Quirino, Kangkong FA and Tagumpay Vegetable Growers' Association from Esperanza, KM14 High Value Crops FA from Bagumbayan and Palimbang Entrepreneurs ARB Coop from Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, all doing their best to aid the government to fight against Covid19 thru the food sufficiency program.
"We were able to link our ARBOs to buyers from Koronadal and General Santos City and other private individuals, as well as to their respective Local Government Units who bought the vegetables and produce to be distributed to constituents," said Jeneveive Lirazan, LinksFarmm coordinator.
ARBOs were provided with QAPs in compliance to the issuance of DAR Memorandum Circular No. 5, series of 2020 by DAR Secretary John Castriciones to ensure that the delivery and supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and other produce will not be hampered and can sustain the food sufficiency program of the government during the Covid19 crisis.
The authority to issue quarantine accreditation pass to individual farmers and ARBOs is vested upon the DAR by virtue of Resolution No. 19, series of 2020, issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) last April 3.