MAFAR LEADER RETURNS FROM ITALY AND DUBAI, ADVOCATES AGRARIAN REFORM APPROACHES
After successfully completing his travel in Italy and Dubai on June 14-29, 2019, MAFAR Minister Dr. Mohammad S. Yacob has optimistically returned with significant knowledge and strategies for strengthening agrarian reform in the BARMM.
With Mesug P. Unda, Al-Hadj, Lanao del Sur Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO), Engr. Tommy M.Biruar, Maguindanao PARO, and DAR National representatives, Minister Yacob has attended an international training in Italy and has visited progressive Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in some parts of the country as facilitated by its government.
The minister has initially shared his learnings and the insights he gained from his official travel through the BARMM Agri Updates Radio Program aired Sunday and today’s weekly convocation program. He has staunchly imparted how empowered and prosperous the farmers are in the region they have visited in Italy. He said these farmers have been members of functioning cooperatives. According to him, the farmers’ passport of becoming members comprise their commitment and stable assets. This is different from most of the cooperatives in the BARMM where members do not mostly have these qualifications. Minister Yacob stressed that the mindset of the farmers should be reformed and that this can be done through capability building on values formation. He added that the cooperatives in that side of the country are focused on production, value chain, and marketing. With this scheme, the farmers are able to pay and manage their workers and they are helping the government in their quest for sustainable development.
After his business in Italy, Minister Yacob has enhanced his knowledge in Islamic banking and financing that was made possible in Dubai. Regarding this he said, the government of Dubai wants to capacitate the Bangsamoro through the conduct of training courses. The MAFAR chief shared that Islamic financing promotes sustainability and justice and is far from the usual banking system in the Philippines that is more on interest rates. In the system according to the minister, the finance source and the beneficiaries or end users both benefit from the scheme.
Minister Yacob further said that Islamic banking and financing purifies economics and it offers a number of choices for the recipients like Murabaha, Musharaka, and Musalama.
Upon his arrival in Manila, he participated in the 2019 pre-SONA meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), where the cabinet secretaries of President Rodrigo R. Duterte presented and discussed the accomplishments from 2018 to date.
Before finally going back to his official station, Minister Yacob attended a meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and took part in the dialogue on agricultural situation and issues in the BARMM, MOA policies, short ad midterm priorities, and the possibility of Grant Assistance for Grassroots and Human Security Projects (GGP) to address the most urgent agricultural needs for 2020.