Three eco-agri farms in Negros Occidental signed a memorandum of agreement with the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Field Unit 6 and the Foundation for People Development recently to become farm school networks.

The three are the Peñalosa farm in Manapla of Ramon Peñalosa, the RU Foundry in Bacolod of Ramon Uy, Sr., and the Fresh Start Organics in Silay City of Ramon Uy, Jr.

Edna Garde, manager of the Farmers Information and Technology Services Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, yesterday said the network’s will serve as training ground for agriculture students, out of school youths, and other teenagers who want to become entrepreneurs.

IN LA CASTELLANA
DAR installs 19 ARBs

The Department of Agrarian Reform recently installed 19 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the agricultural land formerly owned by Ma. Rosa Suatengco in Brgy. Robles,  La Castellana, Negros Occidental, a DAR press release yesterday said.

 A total of 4.8394 has., covered by Certificate of Land Ownership Award No. T-16961, covering lot no. 480-B-2-B-7,  was segregated and distributed to the agrarian reform beneficiaries, it said. The  ARBs will go into collective farming as previously agreed, the press release added. 

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer 1 Gideon Yongque Jr. led the installation and the official turnover was done by SARPT Betheresa Zamora of DAR La Castellana.

Best Murcia farmer named

A local farmer of Murcia, Negros Occidental, will be awarded on Dec. 1, 2011 as Best Farmer of Murcia for her involvement in integrated and organic farming.

Edna Garde, manager of the Farmers Information and Technology Services Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, said yesterday that Irene Mag-asa of Purok Riverside has been practicing integrated farming like backyard pig raising, vegetable production, ducks and native poultry raising, rice production using certified seeds, and production of high valued crops.

Mag-asa is also active in community works, local associations, and deemed as a model farmer. she said.