The Bacolod City Agriculture Office headed by lawyer Goldwyn Nifras and about 30 farmers in Bacolod yesterday welcomed two officials from the Department of Agriculture at the City’s Agriculture Demo Farm facility in Barangay Alijis for a Philippine Mechanization lecture, a press release from the city said.

Cesar Balajadia, DA research specialist assign at the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and Romar Areno, DA Region 6 coordinator spoke on the mechanization scheme for the maximization of local rice farming.

Discussions focused on the 85 percent/15 percent sharing scheme of the Agriculture Department’s and farmers as members of the Highly Urbanized City Agricultural and Fisheries Council or HUCAFC, the press release said.

Balajadia and Areno said the project will be concentrated on mechanization mainly to improve rice post harvest production with the DA providing 85 percent and the farmers furnishing the 15 percent financial counterpart through farmers organizations.

City coordinator Arturo Reyes said that a P1 million budget has been approved for mechanization by the City Sanggunian for mechanization on the proposal of by then Councilor Alex Paglumotan for 2011 to 2016.

Balajadia expressed optimism that HUCAFC members could enjoy the Agri Pinoy Philmech privilege by the middle of 2012, with Reyes expressing a similar view following the one million peso support endorsed by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia.*

back to top