THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) XI revealed that a budget of P24,554,370 will be allocated to rehabilitate Davao Region areas affected by El Niño.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on June 18, Macario Gonzaga, DA XI regional executive director, noted that regular funds are under the buffer-stocking project of the department with the target beneficiaries of 3,311.
Activities under the project include the distribution of certified rice seeds, OPVWhite Corn Seeds, GM Hybrid Yellow Corn Seeds, 8in1 Vegetable seeds, and other Drugs and Biologics.
Based on DA XI’s data, this is followed by the allocation of a quick response fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of fusarium disease-affected areas amounting to P49.9 billion, and the rehabilitation of shear line/low-pressure area-affected farmers amounting to P33.8 billion, with a total of P108 billion.
Meanwhile, Joedel Leliza, DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management focal person, said that P52 million worth of agricultural losses were recorded in Davao del Sur and Davao City alone, with 40, 736 farmers affected covering 7,155.49 hectares of agricultural land.
“We still have a pending approval from Davao Oriental. If approved, it will climb from 52 million to 203 million,” Leliza said.
Leliza said they will announce the other areas once the concerned municipalities upload their respective damage reports.
Marie Ann Constantino, DA XI-regional technical director for operations, said the most affected sector was the high-value crops like banana, cacao, vegetables, coffee, and corn.
Gonzaga also highlighted that the department continuously supports the farmers in the region through their programs and interventions such as the fuel discount program which helped reduce the production and transport costs of major farm and fishery products; the fertilizers discount vouchers, and the high-value crop development programs.
Photo: Bing Gonzales
