DAR launches Project ConVERGE
By Joie L. Ceballos
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) – The Department
of Agrarian Reform (DAR) launched recently the Project ConVERGE or Convergence
on Value-Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment as the new
partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
held in Cagayan de Oro City.
The P2.2 billion project will benefit over 300,000
farmers including 38,700 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the 11 agrarian
reform community clusters in the 10 provinces of Regions 9, 10 and 13.
The ceremony was attended by DAR Undersecretary
Herman Ongkiko of the Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Office, IFAD
Manager for Southeast Asia Benoit Thierry, IFAD Country Program Officer Yolando
Arban, Director Celerina Afable, DAR-10 director Faisar Mambuay, DAR-9 director
Felix Aguhob, DAR-13 director Julita Ragandang and other project stakeholders,
partners and beneficiaries.
According to Ongkiko, the ConVERGE is a
levelled-up DAR-IFAD project which will help farmers and their products from
production to marketing, trading and even recycling. “In this way we can
alleviate them from poverty and secure food in their tables,” Ongkiko said.
Thierry on the other hand hopes for implementers
to undertake the program with sincerity and dedication.
Ragandang revealed that four provinces in Caraga
and their commodities will be assisted by ConVerge. These are the abaca of
Agusan del Norte, rice of Agusan Sur, coconets of Surigao del Norte and coffee
of Surigao Sur. (DAR-13/PIA-Caraga)
