DA to promote upland rural programs in Panay

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

To achieve rural development in Panay Island, five towns were identified as pilot communities of the foreign-funded Panay Island Upland Sustainable Rural Development Program (PIU-SRDP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

PIU-SRDP was endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) VI in its 2nd Quarter Regular Meeting last month. The pilot beneficiaries of the project are the municipalities of Libacao in Aklan, Alimodian in Iloilo, Tapaz and Jamindan in Capiz, and Patnongon in Antique for the project period 2016 to 2020.

The project is seen to sustain and address the upland communities’ need for nutritious and healthy food by building the capacity and capability of people in implementing upland agricultural and forest development programs.

The project has funding requirements of P301-M from the Korea government through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) grant and P90.3 M from the national government for a total of P391.3 million.

Korea’s country assistance to the Philippines covers appropriate production technology support, capability building, knowledge-sharing, education and skills development, alternative financial support and guarantee mechanisms, development of local food systems and agri-infra support and institutional and organizational development. 

The DA in Iloilo City is headed by regional director Larry Nacionales.