AFTER positive performances in the previous quarters, the Northern Mindanao Agriculture department (DA-10) is optimistic the agri sector will continue to grow despite the tough challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, said in a press statement Thursday.
The DA-10 even managed to strengthen the agri sectors through clustering, the DA's goal farm and fisheries clustering and consolidation program (F2C2) program.
The program is one of the key advocacies of Agriculture Secretary William Dar through his signed DA Administrative Order 27.
"This is to create economies of scale in agriculture by delivering technical and financial support to farm and fishery clusters, said DA-10 regional executive director Carlene Collado.
Collado said the F2C2 program aims to consolidate the farmers, fishers, and agripreneurs in clusters to attain economies of scale, where they can produce and earn more.
The DA-RFO 10 recently selected five pilot commodity clusters in the region as beneficiaries of its F2C2.
In Malaybalay City during the F2C2 program's consultative meeting and action planning on December 9, 2020, the pioneering beneficiaries were facilitated in drafting their project proposals to address their needs and key concerns.
Each cluster represents the commodities for rice, corn, cassava, high-value crops, and livestock.
These beneficiaries include the Maramag Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MACO-MPC), Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmer’s Cooperative of Manolo Fortich, Miarayon Highland Farmers Association of Talakag, Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives of El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental; and San Isidro Lower Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Lala, Lanao del Norte.
F2C2 will also aid the beneficiaries in accessing its credit programs, advance training, farm mechanization, processing facilities, among others, according to Collado.
"The program targets to organize the farmers and other stakeholders in the agri sector to consolidate their produce and come up with a unified buying price to their advantage," said DA-RFO 10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga.
Madriaga urged stakeholders not to focus on a single-based commodity, but to include other crops and livestock-based commodities.
“Ang programang F2C2 sa DA dakong tabang sa mga kooperatiba kay dinhi makita ang panaghiusa sa mga mag-uuma dili lamang sa production apan apil ang marketing," said MACO-MPC Chair Calixto DS. Daquiado.
Daquiado said through coop clustering and consolidation, the members will be motivated with the support and programs which include financing, agricultural facilities, machinery and others. (Angie Cabig/EMBentulan/DA-10)
