MAFAR holds planting festival to improve production
MAMASAPANO, Maguindanao – One of the highlights in celebrating the National Rice Awareness Month for the year 2021 is the conduct of planting festival in towns of Barangay Manungkaling, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on November 23.
The planting festival covers the 10 hectares demo farm with 13 varieties of hybrid seeds; NSIC Rc488H, NSIC Rc204H, NSIC Rc234H, NSIC Rc412H, NSIC Rc540H, NSIC Rc486H, NSIC Rc520H, NSIC Rc376H, NSIC Rc176H, NSIC Rc490H, NSIC Rc314, NSIC Rc526, and NSIC Rc526H.
Chief Agriculturist Tong Abas said activity is a joint effort of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform together with the partner line agencies, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), PhilRice, and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Chief Abas said the major objective of the activity is to introduce the new technology to the farmers to be used in their farm and increase its production.
This will be the basis for increasing agricultural productivity and promoting agricultural development to be adopted by the farmers towards improving their skills in farming activity and later increase their production and income, Abas said.
The project was funded under General Appropriation Act for Bangsamoro (GAAB).
“We are here to show and introduce to our farmers the benefit of using new technology and the advantages of adapting the modern applications to keep our farmers be in the line,” said Bangsamoro Director-General for Agriculture Services Dr. Daud Lagasi.
“The ministry is doing its effort to help our farmers to increase their productivity and uplift their living conditions as our foremost mandates,” DG Daud added.
Local Government Unit of Mamasapano Municipality headed by Municipal Mayor Hon. Datu Akmad A. Ampatuan representing SB Secretary Roger Gornez, expressed their full support to the said activity.
Mamasapano LGU supports the activity and programs of MAFAR since they consider it a guide and steps for every farmer to increase their capabilities in farming activity to sustain food sufficiency in the region and the country as a whole.
The NRAM is celebrated every year during November by virtue of Proclamation No. 524 signed on January 5, 2004, under Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
It is expected that after three months, the planted rice will be harvested with mass production following the technology application introduced to the farmers.
Moreover, the said activity was also attended by other key officials, including Director II for Agriculture Services Engr. Ismail Guiamel, MAFAR-Maguindanao Chief of Agriculture Saudi Mangindra and BRAFC Chairman Dr. Salik Panalunsong.
Other representative from partner line agencies was also in attendance to include were Federation President Datu Anwarudin Ampatuan and Razid Lampak from NIA, Statistical Specialist Naldo G. Pendaliday of PSA, Isagani Boholano from PhilRice, and a representative from a private company like Leo Diaz and other staff from the ministry.