CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga (PIA) -- The province of Kalinga was recognized for its outstanding performance in agricultural investment and infrastructure development during the recent general assembly of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) - North Luzon.

Kalinga topped the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) uptake in the North Luzon cluster. It was also recognized for the exemplary performance in project implementation and commitment to social and environmental safeguards  requirements for the Banneng-Darulog Bawac farm to market road (FMR)  subproject. 

Provincial Agriculturist Domingo Bakilan led the province’s PCIP team that received the awards at the DA-PRDP North Luzon Cluster General Assembly in Subic Bay on Feb. 27.

Flor Moldero, provincial planning and development officer, explained that the PCIP contains intervention programs and projects geared towards improving  the prime agricultural products of a province.

Kalinga’s prime products under the PCIP are coffee, heirloom rice and banana. 

Interventions listed in the plan included farm-market-roads, communal irrigation system, warehouse, entrepreneurial capacity training, marketing and other enhancements.   

The DA- PRDP is a major partner of the province in the PCIP implementation as a  primary source of funds for infrastructure projects, Moldero said. 

According to Bakilan, at least  five PRDP-funded FMRs costing P954 million have been completed in the province. All these lead to areas producing the three agriculture prime products.

The provincial government shared 10 percent of the project cost as its counterpart.

Another P11M has been released by the province for coffee demo-farms and coffee quality improvement program, Bakilan added. (JDP/LL-PIA Kalinga)