NORTHERN Mindanao agriculture department is eyeing Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers’ Cooperative (MARBFC),  as Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation Program a possible pilot area, report said Thursday.

DA Officials are even optimistic that the department can provide more holistic interventions if farmers are organized which is now the trend in the sector.

DA-10 regional executive director Carlene C. Collado, said the cooperative has been chosen, given their responsiveness to the implementation of various programs and projects of the government.

Collado said the said cooperative is even geared to help strengthen the organized  farmers association.

“With the continued vision of the farmers’ group in uplifting the lives of its members and the community, 

MARBFC is a great prospect in leading more small farmers," said Collado.

He said this is to replicate their clustering and consolidation approach in production, processing and marketing, and further bringing it to another level.

MARBFC is located in Zone 2, Mantibugao, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon that primarily engaged in corn and cassava production and other value-adding activities.

It was one of the longstanding project-implementers of the department founded back in 1991, according to Collado.

The farmers’ group has also been recognized as the Grand Champion for the Cassava Cluster Management Excellence Awards (CCMEA) of DA in 2018. 

DA Administrative Order 27 states, F2C2 aims to bring economies of scale in agriculture through the provision of technical and financial support, enabling more farmers and fisherfolk, including agripreneurs to produce and earn more, at the same time. 

Under said Program, the agency extended assistance from pre-production and production support, postharvest facilities, packaging support, transport and logistics, credit, marketing assistance, among others to farm and fishery clusters. 

The criteria to avail the projects under F2C2, DA sets at 100 hectares for rice production, corn and other grain crops (75 ha.), high value vegetable crops (50 ha.), fruit trees and perennials (100 ha) and, at 100 hectares for fiber crops. 

Amid the current decline in the buying price for corn, regional corn focal person Richan D. Lacanaria said MARBFC is assured of a market by providing the weekly 500 metric tons requirement of Pilmico Foods, Corp. pegged at P15 per kilo.

The coop is catering corn farm clusters from Southern Bukidnon like Quezon, Kitaotao, Kibawe, Damulog, Don Carlos and Kadingilan to avail the higher price of Pilmico.

Back in March 2018, MARBFC has already inked an agreement with Pilmico under its Inclusive Corn Sourcing Project. 

“We are buying corn from other corn clusters, aside from our own, to also aid other corn farmers,” said MARBFC chairman Antonio B. Juanitas, Jr.

“We are also thankful for the department in granting us farm machineries and equipment that helped us in reducing our labor [production] cost,” Juanitas said.

While an orientation for the pilot farm clusters is still underway, Juanitas agreed that it is a good opportunity for them to be considered under DA’s F2C2 program. 

MARBFC will buy farmers corn produce at a reasonable price to help them since the provision of inputs is crucial, according to Juanitas.

Their approach will prevent farmers from going to traders for financing that will force them to sell their harvest [to them] at dictated prices.

Since MARBFC’s inception with only 15 members, they are now 480 members in strength planting around 117 hectares of corn and 264 hectares of cassava. 

Under the farm cluster’s wing are  five cooperatives and four associations from the towns of Manolo Fortich and Libona in Bukidnon. (Angie Cabig/DA-10)