At least 10 Farmers Cooperative Associations (FCAs) in South Cotabato have undergone validation to avail of farm machinery from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) under the 2023 Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization program.
Provincial Agriculturist Raul Teves, DVM said the validation was spearheaded by the Agricultural Research and Support Services Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist with the support of the respective City/Municipal Agriculture Offices.
These FCAs came from the Municipalities of Surallah, Sto Niño, and the City of Koronadal.
For the City of Koronadal, these FCAs include the following: Sagod Irrigators Association Inc.
Brgy. Avancena; Palay Gulayan Irrigators Association; Prk Saranay, Brgy. Namnama; Handum Irrigators Association Inc.; Prk. Ferry Brgy. Namnama; Kaugnayan Cinderella Irrigators Association Inc., Brgy. GPS; Cacub Irrigators Association Inc. Brgy. Cacub; Morning Star Irrigators Association; Brgy. Carpenter Hill; and Brgy. Caloocan Irrigators Association.
Three more FCAs from Sto Niño and Surallah were also validated.
These include Binhian ng Timog Kutabato Multi-purpose Cooperative (BINTIKU MPAC) at Brgy. Dajay, Surallah; and Purok Magsaysay-Katipunaan Irrigators Association Inc. at Brgy. Katipunan; and Esvinor Irrigators Association Inc, at Brgy. San Vicente in S Sto Niño.
The OPAG reports that another set of beneficiaries is set to be evaluated soon, and the PhilMech reserves the right to approved or disapproved the application of the beneficiaries based on criteria set.
