The Department of Agrarian Reform wants a speedy implementation of United Nations projects for the farmers.
Assistant regional director in the Caraga region Naylinda Narisma said the agency recently held a meeting and conducted a review and evaluation under the Project ConVERGE of projects in the last three years and projects to be implemented until 2021.
She said that DAR has implemented various infrastructure and support service projects worth P62 million to over 1,400 farming households in the Caraga region.
These included provision on farm machines, farm facilities, agricultural inputs and infrastructure funded by DAR with loan proceeds from the International Fund for Agricultural Development implemented under Project ConVERGE which started in 2015 and will end in 2021.
“Project ConVERGE aims to reduce poverty by promoting sustainable livelihoods for farmers of abaca, rice, coco coir and coffee. So far, more than 1,400 households are now benefitting from the farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities and potable water systems the project has implemented in the provinces of Caraga,” Narisma said.
“We aim to succeed in empowering farmers with knowledge, infrastructure, and other support services to uplift their living condition,” IFAD special adviser Yolando Arban said.
IFAD is a specialized agency of the UN dedicated to eradicate rural poverty in developing countries.