The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has turned over a total of P2.6 million worth of farm machineries and equipment (FMEs) to two agrarian reform beneficiaries’ (ARB) organizations in Ifugao, aiming to enhance productivity, improve efficiency, and open wider market opportunities for smallholder farmers.
The initiative, funded under the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), is part of the agency’s broader effort to empower rural communities through mechanization and enterprise support. DAR said the distribution of farm equipment is expected to lower production costs, reduce postharvest losses, and strengthen farmers’ access to markets.
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Boosting Transport and Production Capacity
In Alfonso Lista, DAR formally handed over a P1.438-million hauling truck to the San Quintin Rural Improvement Club Inc. (RIC). The vehicle will serve as a key transport asset to move farm produce more efficiently and cost-effectively.
“This hauling truck will greatly ease the burden of our local farmers,” said RIC President Eliza Sevilleja, noting that the equipment will also allow the cooperative to expand its operations and strengthen its market reach.
Meanwhile, in Lamut, the agency turned over a P1.2-million four-wheel-drive tractor to the One Lamut Agriculture Cooperative (OLAC). The tractor is expected to help farmer-members improve land preparation, reduce manual labor, and increase productivity.
OLAC General Manager Grace Marie Balaquit said the new equipment will bolster the cooperative’s farming operations and inspire members to deliver better services.
Strengthening Rural Enterprises
The turnover was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Trust Agreement between DAR-Ifugao and the recipient organizations, outlining clear responsibilities for the use, management, and maintenance of the equipment.
DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Laurence Bulayungan and Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Leonor Bascos underscored that the department’s mandate goes beyond land distribution. It also covers critical support services that uplift agrarian reform communities and enable them to thrive economically.
Paving the Way for Growth
The twin projects reflect DAR-Ifugao’s commitment to modernizing local agriculture and advancing rural enterprise development. By easing transport and production challenges, these investments are expected to help farmers scale their operations, increase incomes, and strengthen the province’s agricultural value chain.
In the long run, improved productivity and market connectivity will not only empower individual farmers but also stimulate the local economy, creating ripple effects that support job generation, cooperative expansion, and the sustainable growth of Ifugao’s farming communities.
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