Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen highlighted to the municipal agriculturists in a meeting in Koronadal City that with the existence of a new strain of the COVID-19 in nearby countries, the Department of Agriculture will be steadfast on its commitment to protect food production.
“We will not let the production and movement of food be hampered,” the director noted.
In 2020, Philippines recorded its highest rice production at 19.44 million metric tons. One of the contributing factors to this was the policy initiated by the agency to let the movement of food amidst the restrictions and the other challenges of the pandemic.
Moreover, the Rice Resiliency Program (RRP) 1 which distributed free seeds to rice farmers also lift the farmers production.
And this year, the RRP 2 is expected to yield the same results.
Director Mangelen noted to the municipal agriculturists of Sarangani and South Cotabato that DA 12 will start to implement the RRP 2 in partnership with the local agriculture offices.
“We would like to work with you to secure that the RRP 2 will be implemented properly and if it will not be enough we can immediately find additional source of funds,” he added.
Director Mangelen also said that for RRP 2, aside from the free seeds, the farmers will receive free fertilizer. # # # (DA-RFO XII, RAFIS)
