₱9.9 million Kadiwa expands opportunities to Agri Coops and LGUs
BUTUAN CITY -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga's Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) has provided ₱9.9 million in financial grants to qualified farmer and fisherfolk cooperatives and associations (FCAs) as well as local government units (LGUs) on Tuesday, July 19.
The grants were given under the DA’s Enhanced Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program, through the efforts of Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos.
The recipients are four LGUs in the province of Surigao del Norte. LGU-Burgos received ₱987,000, LGU-Pilar ₱1.5 million, LGU-Sta. Monica ₱4 million, and LGU-Placer ₱300,000. Three Farmer Cooperatives and Associations (FCA) also received their share namely Kangyat Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur got ₱1 million, Magsaysay Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Madrid, Surigao del Sur ₱1.5 million, and Nuevo Campo Development Cooperative in San Benito, Surigao del Norte got 612,500.
DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. OΓ±ate, Jr.,thank Senator Marcos for her support of the Department’s efforts through Kadiwa mainly to assist community-based organizations in operating their Kadiwa stores sustainably by providing them with additional funding.
"Through the Kadiwa initiatives, we are empowering our farmers and fisherfolk groups to become more dependable food commodity suppliers to consumers. Under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., we are doubling our efforts to ensure that the food supply and the food prices are within everyone’s reach., "said Director OΓ±ate.
Ronald S. Malaque, the chairperson of Magsaysay Multi-Purpose Cooperative said that they will use it as working capital and to purchase a delivery truck so that they can easily consolidate the local produce of their community's farmers.
On the other hand, Sta. Monica Municipal Agriculturist Louie Ville Lerona said that they will be assisting two FCA’s in their municipality and led them to become Kadiwa partners. He also added that they will conduct monthly monitoring to ensure the sustainability of the program.
To ensure sustainability, DA-Caraga AMAD Chief Lynn A. PareΓ±as said that the agency will conduct an assessment with regard to the implementation in coordination with the LGUs.
Since its implementation in 2020, a total of 30 FCAs and 4 LGUs benefited from the Kadiwa financial grant assistance with an equivalent amount of ₱26.5 million under the Bayanihan Act of 2020 (I & II), General Appropriations Act 2021, and 2021 fund by the office of Senator Imee Marcos.
Also present during the turnover are Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council Chairperson Christopher Lindo and Surigao del Norte Provincial Agriculturist Ruby Ann Lagahit. (Rhea C. Abao, DA-Caraga RAFIS/PIA Caraga)
