By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Around 1,353 farmers from the 1st District of Capiz, including the towns of Sapian and Ivisan, received P5,000 in financial assistance from the national government on Thursday, May 16.
Led by Gov. Fredenil Oto Castro, the distribution of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) of the Department of Agriculture was held at the Dingoy Roxas Civic Center, with the assistance of Capiz provincial agriculturist Sylvia de la Cruz.
The beneficiaries were from Maayon (225), Panay (331), Panitan (198), Pontevedra (132), Roxas City (182), Pres. Roxas (66), Ivisan (73), and Sapian (146).
At the same event, the KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance (KFGA) provided the Maayon Development Cooperative in Maayon town with ₱1,000,000. This assistance is one of the Department of Agriculture’s programs for farmers.
The KADIWA Financial Grant Assistance aims to help farmers and effectively improve the food distribution system. Specifically, it aims to:
- Capacitate farmers and fisherfolk to become reliable and efficient food commodity suppliers.
- Increase the number of farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives and associations who will engage and participate in KADIWA selling activities.
- Encourage partnerships between the proponent and private sectors/institutional buyers to ensure the sustainability of agricultural enterprises.
Additionally, the Pavia Entrepreneurs Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PEMPC) granted P500,000 for trading capital, which will serve as working capital for procuring farmers’ produce.