(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 11 December 2024) Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting the western section of Mindanao and Palawan. Shear Line affecting the eastern sections of Central and Southern Luzon. Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern Luzon and the rest of Central Luzon. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—˜π—”π—§π—›π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—œπ—‘π—— 𝗔𝗑𝗗 π—–π—’π—”π—¦π—§π—”π—Ÿ π—ͺπ—”π—§π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Moderate to Strong winds coming from East to Northeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas / (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


Monday, 25 March 2024

Agusan Sur farmer-associations get rice harvester machines, trailers from PHilMech

By Jennifer Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) has turned over the three units of rice combine harvesters with trailers and mud boats to farmers’ associations in Agusan del Sur.

San Francisco Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo expressed her gratitude to PHilMech and the Department of Agriculture for the aid given to farmers in her municipality. 

Corn and rice combine harvesters with trailers and mud boats were provided to the farmer associations of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) on March 18, 2024. Photo courtesy of LGU-San Francisco.

She highlighted the significance of the farmers in ensuring food security; hence, she welcomes any aid from other partners that would help uplift the lives of the sector and enhance their livelihood.

“Agricultural mechanization provides more monetary gain for large and small farms and reduces the time needed to pay the laborers. Crop yields are also higher with machinery, thus increasing farm profits,” said Paredes-Bravo.

She further explained that with a corn and rice combine harvester, it makes the harvesting process easier by combining six operations, such as gathering, transporting, reaping, threshing, cleaning, and bagging, into one machine. “It is the modern and efficient way of harvesting rice,” she said.

The farmer association beneficiaries of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur received the corn and rice combine harvester with trailer and mud boats from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest 

Being one of the identified farmer-association beneficiaries, the Caimpugan Association of Native Farmers and Fishermen (CANFI), which received the rice combine harvester, thanked the national government for continuously extending assistance to the farmers, especially during this El Nino phenomenon, making it easier for them to harvest their yields.

The Buensuerte Gibong Irrigators Association and the New Visayas Farmers Association also received the same and expressed their commitment that their organizations will also help other farmers in their community.

The following also received mud boats: Buensuerte Gibong Irrigators Association (2 units), Mausawagan Farmers Association in Barangay Ladgadan (2 units), Borbon Farmers Association (1 unit), New Visayas Farmers Association (1 unit), and Masipag Irrigators Association in Barangay. Bayugan 2 (1 unit), and Apogan Farmers Association sa Lapinigan (1 unit).

According to PHilMech, a rice combine harvester is worth P1.7 million, while a mud boat costs close to P100,000. 

The local officials of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, led by Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo, and representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech), congratulated all the farmer associations in the municipality for this endeavor. Photo courtesy of FITS-Center San Francisco.

Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen of DA-Caraga expressed his congratulations to all the beneficiaries and called on other individual farmers to join or organize their association so that their organization could also receive the different aids from the government agencies.

Mangelen also reiterated that mechanization allows for faster and more efficient farm operations, resulting in increased productivity and output. “This helps farmers produce more food with less labor and time, which can increase profits and improve food security,” he said.

As a landlocked province, the farmer associations are hopeful for more interventions from the government, as farming is the main source of their livelihood.

This Farm Mechanization Program was funded through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund of DA. (JPG, PIA-Caraga with a report from FITS Center San Francisco)