1,899 farmers in Agusan Norte benefit from NIA livelihood program
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — A total of 1,899 farmers from Agusan del Norte benefit from renewed economic opportunities as the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Agusan del Norte awarded them a check for P600,000 for the livelihood assistance program of four irrigator agriculture cooperatives in the province.
Each irrigator association—Buenavista Irrigators Agriculture Cooperative, Jabonga Farmers and Irrigators Agriculture Cooperative, Mat-i Ambacon Pinana-an (MAP) Irrigators Agriculture Cooperative, and Tiniwisan Good Farmers IA, received P150,000 assistance to support their respective livelihood projects for members to develop and sustain alongside their farming activities.
The assistance will enable the cooperatives to build and strengthen their enterprises on swine production, buying and selling of farm inputs such as fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, among others.
This assistance from NIA will help the said irrigators’ associations lessen their operational expenses as they will be directly buying farm inputs from the company and selling them at lower prices compared to the distributors. Also, this will strengthen their capacity to sustain agricultural productivity amid the challenges of climate change and market uncertainties.
The enterprises will also provide additional sources of income to the farmer-members amidst market fluctuations and empower the local farmers in cooperative management.
Alberta Sampayan, head of the Institutional Development Unit of NIA-Agusan del Norte, shared that the agency envisions that all irrigators’ cooperatives and associations across the province will eventually benefit from the program. “We want to help them have a diversified income, transforming them into agripreneurs.”
To ensure transparency, NIA-ADN will be conducting monthly monitoring to assess proper utilization and implementation of the livelihood program.
Nonie G. Cabigqueg Jr., president of the Tiniwisan Good Farmers IA, shared that their association has more than 100 members and they aim to start before the month of October 2025 ends.
Cabigqueg also shared their plans, saying, “We will initially start raising five piglets for our swine production, then later on add five more. Since we already have our own pig pen, we will use the assistance for feeds, vitamins, piglets, and other inputs.”
He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the government, especially NIA, for the opportunity to help boost their association through diversified income sources, strengthen member relations, and foster cooperation and active participation.
More than just a financial boost, the initiative reflects NIA’s long-term commitment to empowering farmer organizations and enhancing the quality of life of local farmers. Through sustained support, the agency hopes to reinforce the role of irrigators’ associations as resilient, self-reliant, and proactive partners in development. (MFC, PIA Caraga)
