P93 million earmarked for upland farmers

Davao City (6 January) — Upland farmers have more reasons to look forward to this Year 2006 as the Upland Development Trust Fund (UDTF) has allocated a total of P93 million intended to support about 13,000 upland farmers and cooperators of the Upland Development Programme in Southern Mindanao (UDP).This fund source may be accessed by interested upland farmers through their cooperatives accredited by the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Recently, a P42 million project was approved for pineapple and palm oil farms in South Cotabato and Compostela Valley Provinces. This was formalized during the UDTF Steering Committee Meeting held last December 2005 at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Davao City.

Pineapple production financed by the UDTF already reached to a total of 623.12 hectares under the Landan People’s Multi-Purpose Coop (LPMPC), Tupi Integrated Agricultural Coop (TIAC) and Polo Samahang Nayong Multi-Purpose Coop (Polo SNMPC). LPMPC availed of P30 million for 350 hectares in Tupi, South Cotabato and in Malungon, Sarangani cultivated by 321 farmer beneficiaries. TIAC, South Cotabato and in Malungon, Sarangani cultivated by 321 farmer beneficiaries. TIAC availed of P20 million covering 236.56 hectares also in Tupi, South Cotabato and in Malungon, Sarangani cultivated by 141 farmer beneficiaries while Polo SNMPC availed of P40 million for 36.56 hectares in Maasin, Sarangani cultivated by 36 farmer beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, palm oil production already covers a total of 250 hectares with Mangloy Multi-Purpose Coop (MAMPCO) and Cabuling Agricultural Multi-Purpose Coop (CAMPC) at the helm. MAMPCO will avail of P12 million for palm oil production covering 200 hectares at Laak, Compostela Valley with 108 farmer beneficiaries while CAMPC will avail of P3 million covering 50 hectares at Tantangan, South Cotabato with 21 farmer beneficiaries. Moreover, this UDTF intervention can generate more than 1,900 employment opportunities for upland farmers.

UDTF was established by the Upland Development Programme under the Department of Agriculture and the European Union Development Cooperation in the Philippines with Land Bank of the Philippines servicing UDP-covered provinces and municipalities in Southern Mindanao.

UDP in Southern Mindanao is a Philippine-European Union Development Cooperation executed by the Department of Agriculture and implemented through the local government units, partner financial institutions and other participating agencies. It started on January 1999 and will end on July 2007 under the management of National Co-Director Dashiel Indelible and European co-director Wiebe van Rij. (UDP-PMO/led)