DAR-13 evaluates program effectiveness to farmers through Mindanao-wide convergence
BUTUAN CITY -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Caraga hosted a Mindanao-wide knowledge-sharing activity and kumustahan session to highlight the impact and effectiveness of its Partnership against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) project to farmer beneficiaries.
Speaking on behalf of the La Fortuna Multi-purpose Cooperative (LAMUPCO), chairman Reynaldo S. Maido Sr., had only nothing but words of gratitude for DAR for its efforts to help increase the farmers’ average income and technical knowledge. LAMUPCO is one of the many participating farmer organizations that received help and support from PAHP over the years.
Maido shared the best practices of LAMUPCO that enabled them to successfully sustain their partnership with Andres Soriano Memorial Hospital Cooperative. He further went on to say that having a shared end goal amongst all members is crucial for its success saying, “We, in Veruela [Agusan del Sur], will never forget the positive impact of not only PAHP, but of all the programs and projects DAR that empowered their organization.”
Also, LAMUPCO received the recognition of garnering the highest sales among other farmer organizations that partnered with MMG hospitals since 2021.
The PAHP project which started in 2013 continues to provide comprehensively solution to address the key challenges attached with food security, hunger mitigation, and incidence of poverty reduction in the country. This was mostly achieved by taking advantage of the opportunities to do business with institutional markets, such as hospitals and feeding programs of government agencies.
As such, this method of sharing actual experiences in the course of the project implementation is an effective and efficient method to cultivate learning from others’ experiences. Moving forward, a learning visit to the farmer organizations will also be conducted in the upcoming days to facilitate a better understanding for project implementers on how to further improve project implementation.
In her opening statement, DAR Caraga Director III, Engr. Daylinda P. Narisma, welcomed the delegates of all the DAR regional offices of Mindanao, as well as the special participation from a select few personnel in DAR Luzon and top management from the Central Office.
DAR Undersecretary of the Support Services Office (SSO), Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, extended her gratitude stating, " I am extremely grateful for the support given not only by DAR but by all other participating agencies. Stating that all of their overwhelming hard work has paid off as evidenced by the farmer beneficiaries succeeding financially and becoming even more self-sufficient." But the battle is far from over, she added cautiously, that we must all continue and further strengthen our efforts to build a better foundation for our nation which includes all farmers.
Usec. Cristobal further added that all of these are in line with DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella’s 9-point agenda and his unwavering support to improve the quality of life of the farmers. (Christian Lafuente, DAR Caraga/PIA Caraga)
