FMRs, buildings, food security

Bohol leaders cement promise

Of agri-focus on second term

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—In three days, Bohol Provincial Government through Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado provided the meat of the administration’s promise to focus on agriculture and food production in Aumentado’s second term, with a marathon of activities that underline exactly that promise.

FOOD SECURITY

Getting personal about the issue of expensive prices of fish, which fisheries authorities ascribe to lack of fish production partly due to the slow rehabilitation of production areas and wrecked implements from the calamities, Gov Aumentado and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) ventured into tilapia backyard farming, utilizing backyard ponds, water impounding systems and irrigation catchments, to catch up on the demand.

With the green light from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Bohol partnered with National Irrigation Authority and with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources through its Special Areas for Agricultural Development (SAAD), the plan turned into reality with the ceremonial turn-over of High Density Polyethylene Fish cages for farmer-fishermen’s organizations.

Last August 20, the governor along with BFAR, NIA and local officials officiated the ceremonial turnover of HDPE fish cages to San Miguel Tilapia Growers Association of Bayongan Dam.

The ceremonial turn-over also effectively awarded the multi-million climate resilient fish cages to Ilaya Tilapia Glowers Association of Ilaya Dam in Ubay, Awhan-Zamora Farmers Association of Zamora Talibon, Guinob-an Tilapia Growers Association of Sevilla, Barangay Farmers’ Technicians Association of Pilar using Malinao Dam, Valladolid Farmers’ Palayamanan Association of Loboc and Loay Farmers Association.

And for the potential of the water in the dams, the provincial government also stocked tilapia fingerlings in the Bayongan Dam, so farmers can also get their protein requirements from fish in their common impounding areas.

BFAR and the Provincial Government’s HDPE package includes fish feeds, fish fingerlings, nets, ropes, labor costs and boats, and estimates that each fish cage can yield 400 kilos of tilapia for every cropping.

That same day, the governor along with Provincial Agriculturist and BFAR officials went to Bohol Organic Agriculture Center (BOATEC) in Gabi Ubay, for the stocking of tilapia fingerlings for distribution to fish farmers in the vicinity.

In the same venue, local officials initiated the fruit-tree planting activity, another priority of the government in restoring its tree cover and reverse the effects of climate change, while stocking on food for the Boholanos.

From the BOATEC nursery too, Bohol would be supplying its 50 hectare orchard nursery in Dimiao, according to local government sources.

The LGU in Dimiao has donated the idle lands of Barangay Baguhan, to be the site of the Bohol Tropical Fruit Scion Grove, a local nursery for Bohol grown and locally seeded seedlings compared to the usually imported varieties.

FARM TO MARKET ROADS

The goal to spur more agricultural production in prime farming areas, the governor also led in the turn over of the 4.74 kilometer standard 5 meter Pondol-Candaigan Farm to Market Road (FMR) in Loon, August 22.

Funded by the World Bank through the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Program’s P100 million project which included slope protection, road shoulders and culverts, is set to benefit 2,500 farmer families in 4 barangays whose access to the market is now smoothened, assuring good and premium products reaching markets.

In fact, another key FMR that would also be critical in the rapid flow of government services to depressed and insurgency threatened areas, Bohol also witnessed the turn-over of the 10.97 kilometer Campagao-Cabacnitan FMR.

Funded also by the WB through the DA-PRDP, the P187M standard 5 meter concrete road cuts through the heart of the former bastions of the insurgency in Bohol.

This also opens direct farm to market access of over a thousand rice and vegetable farmers, while allowing peace to settle in this area of unrest.

FEEDS PRODUCTION AND MARKETING

Amidst the challenging cost of livestock and poultry feeds to sustain its native chicken production, Bohol upland farmers proposed a local feeds factory for DA support and the PRDP responded with the funding for the Bohol Feeds Production and Marketing Enterprise set in Lagtangan Sevilla.

Turned over August 22, is a facility that is into contracting farmers to grow natural and organic feeds elements which when mixed with molasses and azolla and other chopped forage grasses, turn into a much more affordable and nutrient-rich locally mixed high protein feeds compared with the commercially available feeds.

The same is a critical support to Manok Sano, the Boholano breed of native free-range chickens that can be used to supply food for tourism areas.

HIGHLAND VEGETABLES

Last August 22, in Guindulman, the PRDP also funded the highlands vegetable consolidation center in Guio-ang Gundulman.

This facility allows for the consolidation before sales of farm produce especially those organically natural products that command good prices in the lowlands.

The consolidation center makes it easy for the local government to link markets to producer farmers as well as for locals to finally get assured of a market for their high value commercial crops.

SILAGE PRODUCTION

With the recent promise of dairying, getting the female carabaos with the right amount of nutrition while it is staying in the milking parlors, is another Aumentado administration’s priorities.

It is an ideal practice when dairy animal adopters simply keep their draft animals in milking parlors now that with the government’s mechanization program allows for the respite.

And instead of gathering forage grasses every day, which becomes untenable during drought, the manufacture of silage for feeds has become another viable enterprise, which the farmers proposed for PRDP funding.

Thus was turned over the Bohol Silage Production and Marketing Enterprise, now based in Poblacion San Miguel.

CASSAVA PRODUCTION SUPPORT

For the cassava farmers who have lost their biggest market with the closure of the Philippine Starch corporation, Bohol put up the Bohol Cassava Production, consolidation processing and Marketing Enterprises Project, in Katipunan, Carmen, Bohol Now with a facility for the production funded again by WB through the DA PRDP, Gov Aumentado officiated the turn-over to the farmers organization the facility and its operations. (PIABohol)