BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) has turned over the three units of rice combine harvesters with trailers and mud boats to farmers’ associations in Agusan del Sur.

San Francisco Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo expressed her gratitude to PHilMech and the Department of Agriculture for the aid given to farmers in her municipality. 

She highlighted the significance of the farmers in ensuring food security; hence, she welcomes any aid from other partners that would help uplift the lives of the sector and enhance their livelihood.

“Agricultural mechanization provides more monetary gain for large and small farms and reduces the time needed to pay the laborers. Crop yields are also higher with machinery, thus increasing farm profits,” said Paredes-Bravo.

She further explained that with a corn and rice combine harvester, it makes the harvesting process easier by combining six operations, such as gathering, transporting, reaping, threshing, cleaning, and bagging, into one machine. “It is the modern and efficient way of harvesting rice,” she said.

Being one of the identified farmer-association beneficiaries, the Caimpugan Association of Native Farmers and Fishermen (CANFI), which received the rice combine harvester, thanked the national government for continuously extending assistance to the farmers, especially during this El Nino phenomenon, making it easier for them to harvest their yields.

The Buensuerte Gibong Irrigators Association and the New Visayas Farmers Association also received the same and expressed their commitment that their organizations will also help other farmers in their community.

The following also received mud boats: Buensuerte Gibong Irrigators Association (2 units), Mausawagan Farmers Association in Barangay Ladgadan (2 units), Borbon Farmers Association (1 unit), New Visayas Farmers Association (1 unit), and Masipag Irrigators Association in Barangay. Bayugan 2 (1 unit), and Apogan Farmers Association sa Lapinigan (1 unit).

According to PHilMech, a rice combine harvester is worth P1.7 million, while a mud boat costs close to P100,000. 

Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen of DA-Caraga expressed his congratulations to all the beneficiaries and called on other individual farmers to join or organize their association so that their organization could also receive the different aids from the government agencies.

Mangelen also reiterated that mechanization allows for faster and more efficient farm operations, resulting in increased productivity and output. “This helps farmers produce more food with less labor and time, which can increase profits and improve food security,” he said.

As a landlocked province, the farmer associations are hopeful for more interventions from the government, as farming is the main source of their livelihood.

This Farm Mechanization Program was funded through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund of DA. (JPG, PIA-Caraga with a report from FITS Center San Francisco)