nvestments in agricultural infrastructure in Mindanao reached P4.48 billion as of end-August, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday, noting that it targeted only P2.08 billion worth investments early this year. Agriculture Department-Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) director Lealyn Ramos said the investments “reveal the confidence" of the local and national governments to implement poverty alleviation projects. Of the P4.48 billion, P3.7 billion worth of projects are still in the preparatory stages, P632.2-million projects are ongoing, and P189-million projects have been completed, Ramos said in a statement released to media. These projects include farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, potable water systems, bridges and other infrastructure critical to increasing farm yield, resource-based livelihoods, and environmental conservation programs, Ramos said. “Along with the thrust of the current administration, we need to invest more on infrastructure to maximize the agriculture production potential of Mindanao," the statement said, quoting Ramos. “These projects could increase yields, improve incomes of farmers, cut transportation costs and open more economic opportunities to farmers, fisherfolk and the local government units," it added. When President Benigno Aquino III assumed office in July, local government units began submitting proposals for infrastructure projects. Of the six regions covered by the DA-MRDP, Northern Mindanao has the most proposed projects (P1.357 billion), followed by Central Mindanao (P1 billion), Western Mindanao (P722.7 million), Caraga (P612.7 million), Davao Region (P533.9 million), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (P248.7 million).
The DA-MRDP is a long-term poverty alleviation program that covers 225 of the 420 towns in Mindanao. The program is funded by the World Bank, national and local governments, and project proponents. Some projects are undertaken through a cost-sharing scheme, where the DA-MRDP shoulders half of the cost while the other half is carried by the proponent. President Aquino said in his visit to Davao last week that his administration will combat poverty by encouraging more investments in the agriculture and fishery sector to directly benefit millions of poor Filipinos. —JE
