Butuan City – The World Bank team visits six subprojects in Mindanao during the 8^th WB Implementation Support Mission last June 10 to 15.

Covering Davao and Caraga regions, the team visited the 4 farm-to-market roads and 2 IREAP subprojects which are in various stages of implementation.

In Davao Region, the team visited the 10.59-km Cabinuangan-Magangit FMR in New Bataan Compostela Valley Province and the Cacao Production and Beans Marketing in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

The FMR  will serve as the shorter route of farmers and residents in New Bataan town to Nabunturan town, the provincial capital. According the Provincial Planning head Romeo Celeste, it will cut the travel time by at least 30 minutes.

“More importantly, we can now bring our produce to the bigger market in Nabunturan with its premium quality because of smoother travel, in effect, we can command better price too,” said Cabinuangan Brgy Captain Sario M. Mabasa

Meanwhile, the cacao project in Davao del Norte has revived the enthusiasm of cacao farmers after the rehabilitation of DA HVCDP program and the PRDP intervention has borne fruits.

“After we implemented the rehabilitation activities, our old trees have increased yield so we produced more wet beans and recovered better dry beans,” said farmer Ernesto Alferez.

“The buying price of P95 – P115 per kilo of good quality beans has increased our income. With this positive income, we are encouraged more to expand our farms, even using the rolling part of our farm lots, and make sure we take care of our trees,” Alferez added.

In Caraga region, the team visited 4.76 main canal of the Limbatangan Communal Irrigation System (CIS) in Rosario town, Agusan del Norte. The irrigation canal will help serve 300 hectares of rainfed areas especially those producing organic rice. Once completed, the CIS is expected to raise production from 3MT to 4 MT per hectare.

Project site visit of the 4.76 main canal of the Limbatangan Communal Irrigation System (CIS) in Rosario town, Agusan del Norte.

Still in Agusan del Sur, the concreting of two major FMR projects were also visited including 8.93km Mahapag-Doña Maxima FMR and Marcelina-Mahapag (Package 2) FMR. These roads will connect and serve the rubber and banana farmers in San Luis, Esperenaza and Bayugan City.

The team also inspected the on-going implementation of the P22.46 million Integrated Rubber enterprise in Brgy. Tungao in Butuan City. The subproject is aimed to help rubber farmers by consolidating and trading the rubber cup lumps produced by the cooperative members of Km. 7 Farmers’ Producers Cooperative.

Farmers demonstrate the rubber budding process to the WB Team during the site visit in the Integrated Rubber enterprise project in Brgy. Tungao in Butuan City. (Photo by Joseph John Palarca)

With interventions including nursery facility, provision of inputs and tools and marketing vehicle, the lead proponent group, eyes to trade at least 560 tons of rubber cup lump in its first year of operation and generate a gross revenue of at least P25 million from all its activities.

Cluster Highlights

“Overall, the cluster continued to deliver significant results in the implementation of infrastructure and enterprise development subprojects as it effectively mainstreamed institutional reforms in the delivery of agricultural and fishery services across the regions,” said Mindanao cluster Director Engr. Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr.

Through the convergence initiative of the I-PLAN, the institutionalization of CIPs continues to generate investments of about PhP41.723 billion for the development of the agri-fishery sector and in addressing gaps in the value chain.

Gearing towards increased agricultural productivity and sustainable development, the IBUILD component completed a total of 87 infrastructure subprojects amounting to PhP 2.868 billion with total beneficiaries of 81,713 households or 358,741 individuals. The clusters’ total I-BUILD subprojects reached a total of 241 subprojects amounting to PhP15.092 billion, of which 48% of the cost was funded under the Additional Financing. In terms of sustainable agri-fishery enterprise development, the I-REAP Component has gained ground in operationalizing business enterprises in all covered regions with a total of 37 completed subprojects worth PhP82.74 million. These subprojects are being operated by 61 proponent groups (PGs) with a total of 5, 395 farmer/fisher-beneficiaries.  (Sherwin B. Manual/PSO Mindanao)

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