Sikat Saka Program for Corn takes off
AGRICULTURE • 19:51 PM Thu May 19, 2016
1,347
By:
Carl Ulysses Aguillon/DA-12
Corn farmers in Sultan Kudarat attends briefing and credit worthiness seminar on Sikat Sakat program. (DA photo)
KORONADAL CITY -- After the success of the
implementation of the Sikat Saka Program for Rice, the Department of
Agriculture Region 12 launched the Sikat Saka II or Sikat Saka for Corn through
a Briefing and Credit Worthiness Seminar held in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat,
May 12, 2016.
The
DA Sikat Saka II Program is a project of the Department of Agriculture in
support of its Foods Staples Sufficiency Program. This is in partnership with
Land Bank of the Philippines to provide credit assistance to small palay
farmers for their palay production. DA agencies together with the Irrigators’
Association will provide support to farmers such as extension, administrative
services, assured market and irrigation.
This
will be the kick-off of the series of orientations to corn farmers here in
Region 12,” DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan.
We
will make sure, as we sit with the Sikat Saka Provincial Action Team, many corn
farmers will benefit from the program like what we accomplished with Sikat Saka
for Rice,” The lady director added.
Director
Datukan also reminded the would-be borrowers that they must ensure that their
names are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture
(RSBSA), as this is a significant requirement.
The four provinces of
Region 12 (Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat) were all
included in the 11 provinces in the entire country identified as target-areas
for the program, which are also recognized by the DA-Corn Program and Sikat
Saka Oversight Committee as leading corn-producing provinces.
Nolly Halegado, President
of the Sultan Kudarat Corn Cluster at Regional Federation of Corn Cluster
Associations, coined to his fellow farmers the importance of responsible
payment of debts especially to a government lending institutions.
The full force of the
partner-agencies of DA 12, comprised of Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
(PCIC), Land Bank of the Philippines Lending Center, Agricultural Training
Institute (ATI), and National Food Authority (NFA) led the Briefing and Credit
Worthiness Seminar in Bagumbayan attended by 120 corn farmers
Moreover, in the following
Sikat Saka briefings, these agencies will also spearhead the activity together
with DA 12.
For schedules of Sikat Saka Program II Briefings
you may coordinate with your local agricultural offices or visit the Department
of Agriculture Regional Field Office 12 at Region 12 Center, Carpenter Hill,
Koronadal City.