PAFFP assistance strengthens Butuan corn farmers’ livelihood
By Nora L. Mole
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Government assistance is providing added support to thousands of rice and corn farmers in Butuan City, helping them sustain farm operations and address immediate production needs.
As of the latest data from DA Caraga, a total of 4,738 rice and corn farmers in Butuan City have received assistance under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFFP), which formed part of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport Program (UPLIFT), a targeted assistance provided to sectors most affected by the ongoing state of energy emergency.
The PAFFP provides timely assistance to farmers and fisherfolk to help sustain their livelihoods and agricultural activities, particularly by addressing immediate farm and production needs amid the economic crisis.
Among the beneficiaries is Salvador Dapadap of Barangay Sumile, who said the assistance would help him continue his corn farming activities.
“This is a big help to me as a corn farmer, especially in buying herbicide and spray for my farm,” Dapadap said.
He also thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the assistance extended to farmers.
“Thank you, PBBM, for this assistance and for giving us farmers this opportunity and support,” he said.
For Ronald Añeran, another farmer from Butuan City, the cash assistance also helped address some of his farming needs.
He also received free fertilizer, seeds, and other farm inputs, which he said helped him continue his planting activities.
The PAFFP assistance complements the continuing interventions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga’s Corn Program, including the provision of farm inputs and agricultural machinery to help farmers improve production, increase productivity, and strengthen their livelihoods.
The regional distribution of the assistance was led by DA Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate Jr., highlighting the agency’s continuing efforts to bring national government interventions closer to farmers and ensure that assistance reaches those engaged in agricultural production.
The initiative supports President Marcos Jr.’s national directives to strengthen the agriculture sector, enhance support for farmers, improve agricultural productivity, and advance food security by ensuring that producers have access to resources needed to sustain farm production.
It also contributes to the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda, particularly its efforts to improve the welfare of farmers and strengthen food production through sustained and responsive government interventions.
By providing both financial assistance and production support, the government continues to help farmers address immediate farm needs while strengthening their capacity to sustain agricultural activities and improve their livelihoods.
For farmers like Dapadap and Añeran, the assistance translates into practical support that can be used for essential farm inputs and production expenses, enabling them to continue farming and contribute to Butuan City’s agricultural economy and the country’s food security. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte with a report from DA Caraga)
