DAR-CAR and DAR Benguet turnover P1.5M Greenhouses to Taloy Farmers

The Department of Agrarian Reform – Cordillera Administrative Region and DAR Provincial Office Benguet have turned over two Vegetable Greenhouses with Solar-powered Drip Irrigation & Fertigation System worth P1,500,000.00 to the Taloy Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative (TAFARMCO) on at Taloy Sur, Tuba, Benguet on April 27, 2023.

TAFARMCO received two units of Twin Butterfly-type greenhouses that are 200 square meters each and came with a Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation and Fertigation system which includes a battery, water pump, water tank, drip hose, Solar-Powered street lights, seedlings, and seedling trays. A training fund of P70,000 with training kits and assorted farm input supports worth P125,000 were also given.

This is to increase good production for the farmer-beneficiaries and marketing of assorted Organic Highland Vegetables. All 12,191 members (ARB & Non-ARB) of TAFARMCO will benefit from the greenhouses through dividends or interest on their share capital as the cooperative would manage and operate the project.

DAR-CAR Regional Director Samuel S. Solomero said, “Ito po yung response ng Agrarian Reform sa binanggit ng ating presidente sa unang SONA niya noon na tulungan ang ating mga magsasaka sa pamamagitan po ng mga support services intervention ng aming departamento.”

TAFARMCO Ceo Angel P. Garcia gave his gratitude to DAR and said, “Yung greenhouse na binigay sa atin ng DAR, malaking bagay ito sa ating mga farmers. Gagamitin natin ito to educate [the farmers] para to answer the food security and climate change [concerns].”

The project is under DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project – Sustainable & Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (CRFPSP –SuRe ARCs). The source of funds is from the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF) with SARO issued in December 2022.

Along with DAR representatives, the ribbon-cutting and turnover were attended by Tuba Mayor Hon. Clarita P. Sal-ongan, Cooperative Development Authority-CAR (CDA-CAR) Regional Director Atty. Franco B. Bawang Jr., TAFARMCO staff, and personnel of the respective LGUs and organizations. # (PR)