CABANATUAN CITY (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has partnered with several agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Nueva Ecija under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Program (CRFPSP).
This initiative aims to provide climate-resilient assistance to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province.
The partnership was formalized through a signed memorandum of agreement, which committed both the agency and the ARBOs to work together to enhance farm productivity and protect livelihoods from extreme weather events, rising costs, and food production risks.
DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Eden Ponio led the signing ceremony, underscoring the need to translate government support into tangible assistance for farmers.
As part of the Sustainable Livelihood Support for Disaster-Affected Areas component, seven ARBOs will receive small farm machinery and equipment (FMEs) to help them recover from climate-related losses and maintain their operations.
The cooperatives receiving this support include the Bantug Agriculture Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Alizar FST Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Lamorito Farmers Association Inc., Liberty Fishermen and Farmers Trading Corporation, Calabajuan Producers Cooperative, Indigenous People Agriculture Cooperative, and Singalat Producers Cooperative.
Additionally, three other ARBOs are set to benefit from the Major Crop-Based Block Farming component.
The Delaen Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Batitang Agriculture Cooperative, and Biyayang Handog Multi-Purpose Cooperative will receive four-wheel drive tractors, grass cutters, and knapsack power sprayers to help enhance their collective farming efforts.
According to the DAR, participating ARBOs attended pre-signing briefings on program guidelines, their responsibilities, and the proper use of the FMEs.
The sessions also emphasized proper operation, maintenance, and shared responsibility to ensure long-term benefits for farmer-members.
This effort aligns with Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III’s push for climate-smart agriculture and sustained assistance to ARBs in key food-producing provinces.
With Nueva Ecija being one of the nation’s top rice producers, this support is essential for helping ARBOs manage climate challenges, increase production, and secure stable livelihoods. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija)
