ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal (PIA) — Agrarian beneficiaries in Rizal province have received farm machineries through the Department of Agrarian Reform Rizal’s (DAR-Rizal) Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SURE ARCs) program.

A total of 10 hydro tillers worth P1.1 million and a rice combine harvester worth P1.9 million were distributed to Baras, Jalajala, and Pililla-based agrarian beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) on March 24, 2023.

In a statement, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Raul Leonin lauded the ARBOs on their new farm implements.

"Binabati namin kayo (ARBOs) sa inyong natanggap na mga makinarya pansaka. Gamitin ninyo ito at pangalagan. Nawa'y lubos na mapadali nito ang inyong pagsasaka at magbigay ng magandang ani," Leonin said.

The farm equipment include two hydro tillers for the Baras-based Baliksaka Farmers Association Inc. (BFAI), two tillers for the Jalajala-based Sipsipin Maunlad Farmers Association Inc. (SMFAI), three tillers for the Jalajala-based Llano Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LFMPC) and three tillers and a harvester for the Malaya Irrigator Service Association Inc. (MISAI) through the SURE ARCs program sourced from the 2022 Agrarian Reform Fund.

According to DAR-Rizal, SURE ARCs aims to address food insufficiency, inadequate farm machinery, high vulnerability to climate change and the lack of livelihood support through increasing beneficiaries’ farm incomes and providing necessary climate-resilient farm support services.

ARBs also underwent an orientation and hands-on training on FME Operation and signed a memorandum of agreement with DAR-Rizal. (GG/PIA-Rizal with reports from DAR-Rizal)