by Dani Doguiles
KORONADAL CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) -- Hundreds of farmers who were affected by recent floods in North Cotabato recently received seed assistance from their provincial government.
As of January 25, the provincial government of North Cotabato led by Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza has already dispensed a total of 1,425 bags of corn seeds and certified rice seeds to farmers in three municipalities.
Gov. Taliño-Mendoza began the distribution on January 12 to farmer beneficiaries of ten barangays in M’lang town, including the villages of New Lawaan, Dugong, Dungguan, Buayan, Libo-o, New Antique, Inas, Lepaga, Lika, and Dalipe.
A total of 454 bags of certified rice seeds were handed to the recipients in a ceremony at Barangay Poblacion A.
Gov. Taliño-Mendoza, during the turn-over ceremony, said that the program aims to help farmers recover from the loss brought about by the devastating flood.
“Farmers are the ones most affected during times of calamities and this is our way helping them start over again,” she said.
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist headed by acting provincial agriculturist Eliseo Mangliwan, facilitated the distribution of the calamity assistance.
For this specific activities the LGU gave a total of 606 bags of seeds of open-pollinated corn varieties and 367 bags of certified rice seeds.
Aside from the local government unit, the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-12) also distributed 594 bags of certified rice seeds to farmers in four municipalities in the province.
Allocation per municipality were as follows: 300 for farmers in Carmen, 257 in Kabacan, 25 in Pikit and 12 in M’lang.
DA-12 also turned-over zinc phosphite, a chemical used to control rat infestation.
The turn-over ceremony was held at the Central Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CEMIARC) in Amas, Kidapawan City and was led by Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan. (PIA 12)