Farmers graduate from MAFAR-BARMM school-on-air program
A total of 550 farmers graduated in a School-on-the-Air course on Upland Rice Farming Technology Transfer for Bangsamoro at MAFAR Covered Court, BGC, Cotabato City on November 15-16.
The SOA was a joint effort of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) through the Information, Communication, and Technology Section (ICTS) headed by Chief Engr. Musrifa M. Mago and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) led by Chief Advisor on CDPB-JICA Hirofumi Hoshi. That aims to disseminate information on farming technologies.
Fourteen Municipalities participated from Maguindanao Province and were clustered into four; The Cluster I are the municipalities of Talayan, Guindulungan, and Datu Odin Sinsuat. Cluster II with municipalities of Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Paglas, and Ampatuan, Cluster III which was composed of Datu Hoffer, Datu Unsay, Datu Saudi and Datu Piang, and Cluster IV with municipalities of Upi, South Upi, Datu Blah Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat.
MAFAR Minister Mohammad S. Yacob Ph.D. congratulates the graduates for reaching the ceremony as fruitful of their effort, hard work, and commitment towards achieving food security.
He also said the graduation was a manifestation that the ministry is serving the Bangsamoro farmers.
“We already plant the rice seeds in your heart and mind; we do hope that what we planted in you will be translated into mass production,” Minister Yacob emphasized.
Chief Advisor Hoshi said that on behalf of their office, they hope that the farmer graduates will implement all the technology applications from the SOA to ease their farming activity and improve their living conditions.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, as keynote speaker, expressed that the BARMM government recognized the effort of every farmer and fishers as the backbone of the economy via video message.
Furthermore, the said SOA was aired on partner radio stations for three months from August 1 to October 31 every Sunday from 7:30-8:00 AM with anchors Consultant on Agriculture Dr. Kadiguia R. Abdullah and ICTS staff Nasrullah Dilangalen.
Other vital officials who were in attendance were Regional Director Engr. Ismail Guiamel for Agriculture Services, Dr. Macmod Mamalangkap for Fisheries Services, Dr. Taugan Kikay for Agrarian Reform Services, and Julie O. Maliga for Admin and Finance Services, along with were Bangsamoro Director-General for Fisheries Services Pendatun Patarasa, Chief of Staff Arphia Ebus and MAFAR Regional Chief of Operation Tong Abas. Maguindanao Province has also attended the said program spearheaded by Provincial Director Dr. Ronjamin Maulana and Chief of Operation Saudi Mangindra.