THE Department of Agriculture (DA)-Zamboanga Peninsula has turned over some P24.7 million worth of farm inputs and equipment to various farmers associations in this city on Friday, July 28.

Of the total, some P5.9 million worth of farm inputs and equipment were distributed to farmer associations in the first district and P18.7 million in the second district.

DA Regional Technical Director for Operations Marissa Mohammad said the farm inputs and equipment distributed were part of the agency's various programs.

These include the P99,500 pump irrigation system for open source (PISOS); commercial hybrid seeds and fertilizer assistance under the rice program amounting to P2.07 million; one unit 4-wheel tractor, assorted vegetable seeds, inorganic fertilizer, mung bean seeds, peanut seeds and 30 pieces plastic crates under the High Value Crops Development Program amounting to P2.57 million; and, community as well as household gardening interventions worth P694,000 under the National Urban and Peri Urban Agriculture program.

“All these (farm inputs and equipment) were coursed through the City Agriculturist Office, Mohammad said.

Also distributed through the Office of the City Veterinarian were 24 heads of sentinel pigs with various feeds as well as liquid nitrogen (LN2) mother tank costing P502,000 under the livestock program and turned over through the Office of the City Veterinarian.

Distributed to farmer associations under the different agricultural districts in second district were the P648,000 solar powered irrigation system (SPIS); two units four-wheel tractor worth P5.1 million; commercial hybrid seeds, fertilizer assistance, rice threshers, multi-purpose drying pavements and combine harvester – all worth P8.044 million; assorted vegetable seeds, inorganic fertilizer, mung bean seeds, peanut seeds and 30 pieces plastic crates worth P963,000; and, community gardening interventions amounting to P309,000.

Also turned over were 201 heads of sentinel pigs with various feeds and an LN2 mother tank worth P3.69 million for hog raisers.

The projects, facilitated by first district Representative Khymer Olaso and second district Representative Joe Manuel Dalipe, aimed to improve agricultural production and ultimately to ensure food security.

Mayor John Dalipe thanked the DA-Zamboanga peninsula for constantly finding ways to support and assist the farmers, even as he reaffirmed his commitment to the farming sector in the city.

The farmer-recipients have also thanked the national and local governments for the initiative stressing that the farm inputs and equipment are very crucial in their goal of increasing production as well as to improve income. (SunStar Zamboanga)

Source: SunStar (https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1968253/zamboanga/local-news/da-distributes-p247-m-farm-inputs-equipment-in-zamboanga)