LALA, Lanao del Norte — The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) X capped its distribution of Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) here Friday, April 24.
Led by DA-RFO X OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, the agency handed over PhpP13.21 million worth of financial assistance to 2,642 bonafide and registered rice farmers to DA’s Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) in Lala.
“Since Agriculture is the main livelihood of our people, agricultural development is a top priority of my administration,” said Lala Mayor Angel L. Yap.
With a total rice area of 6,300 hectares stretching across 18 barangays, Lala is the largest rice-producing municipality in Lanao del Norte and second in the entire Region 10.
“We will continuously aspire to partner with DA-10 for other future agricultural assistance to our farmers,” Yap added, thanking the agency for the aid given to rice farmers in his municipality.
In his message, Collado assures rice farmers in Lala of the agency’s continuous support, particularly through the provision of appropriate farm inputs and access to modern farming technologies.
“We will always be at your back. We will do whatever we can to help you. The assistance you will be receiving from DA today is just one of many more,” he accounted, citing different intervening programs of DA to increase agricultural productivity in the region.
The DA’s RFFA has benefitted 6,442 rice farmers in Lanao del Norte alone with a total amount of Php32.2 million to 14 municipalities and city.
Following RFFA, DA-10 will be distributing another Php5,000 cash subsidy to small rice farmers in the region through the so-called Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers (FSRF) program of DA.
The subsidy is expected to help rice farmers topple the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and is due for release in the second quarter of this year. (DA RFO X/PIA ICIC)
