KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — The Provincial Government of South Cotabato continues to boost the agricultural sector through extensive agri-engineering infrastructure support and development, providing farmers with modern tools, equipment, and facilities aimed at improving productivity and reducing post-harvest losses.
The initiative includes a wide range of infrastructure and machinery such as collapsible dryer cases, hermetic cocoon storage, warehouses, multi-purpose drying platforms (MPDP), village-type processing facilities, corn shellers, corn mills, mobile corn shellers, banana tissue culture laboratories, four-wheel drive tractors, rice combine harvesters, mechanical rice transplanters (pull type), riding-type transplanters, mini backhoes, and mini tractors with lawn mowers.
In addition, the province is implementing small-scale irrigation projects, including solar-powered irrigation systems, as well as agro-climatology support such as rain gauge monitoring and a satellite office for weather data collection.
Jason Gem Villaruel, Agriculturist I, said these projects aim to help farmers reduce losses and increase income.
“May ara kita mga kagamitan nga makabulig nga maka-reduce sang losses sang mga mangunguma kag makabulig man pataas ang ila income. Ang aton nga main purpose sini ma-improve ang aton harvest kag ang produkto sang aton mangunguma sa South Cotabato,” Villaruel said.
He also stressed that agri-infrastructure projects must be established on government-owned lands or areas with usufruct agreements to protect the investments and ensure long-term sustainability for the community.
The solar-powered irrigation systems, in particular, are expected to provide consistent water supply during dry periods, especially for high-value crops prone to heat stress, further improving productivity and resilience among farmers.
Through these comprehensive efforts, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato under the leadership of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., continues to prioritize modernization, sustainability, and inclusivity in agriculture, ensuring that local farmers can thrive while supporting the province’s broader economic development goals.
