The Chatto administration is allocating P6 million to grow more coconut trees while it launched a Bohol-wide search for best farmers, both to enhance agro-industry and food production. Each of the province's three districts gets P2 million to buy quality coconut seedlings grown by the farmers themselves and distribute them to other coconut raisers, Gov. Edgar Chatto announced during the HEAT Caravan in Pilar on Tuesday. Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Provincial Manager Jun Lago said a hectare of coconut trees can earn P120,000 per year. Also during the HEAT Caravan, the governor launched the Suhid sa Malamposong Mag-uumang Bol-anon, with the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) as the spearhead agency, in recognition of outstanding agricultural producers and workers, including those in the fishery sector.
Chatto led the caravan, a multi-service delivery making the people feel the very presence of government, together with Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, Third District Rep. Arthur Yap who is a former agriculture secretary, and heads of different provincial departments and national agencies. HEAT means Health and Sanitation, Education and technology, Agriculture and food production, Tourism and Livelihood. It was capitol's second HEAT Caravan after the unprecedented one on the island town of Pres. Garcia last August. Its successful staging in Pilar was also credited to the cooperation of Mayor Wilson Pajo and fellow town leaders.
Both the coconut industry subsidy and the search for best farmers, which will be institutionalized in Chatto's time, are expected to capacitate the small coconut farmers and encourage more efforts for productivity in other agricultural fields. Initial hybrid coconut seedlings were turned over to LGU Pilar and farmers from PCA during the caravan. The governor, together with OPA officer-in-charge Larry Pamugas, turned over financial aids, vermiculture materials for organic fertilizer and tilapia fingerlings to people's organizations. The Pilar HEAT Caravan also delivered to San Isidro Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Del Pilar Multi-Purpose Cooperative aids worth P200,000 under the DOLE-DAR Convergence Initiative for livelihood and food production, including the raising of native chicken.
SUHID CATEGORIES
Suhid searches for most outstanding coconut farmer, rice and corn farmers adopting integrated farming, high-value commercial crops, large and small animal raisers, fisherfolk – fish capture and fisherfolk – fish culture. It also honors best farmer scientist, organic farmer, young farmer, farm family, young farmer's association, Food Always In The Home (FAITH) practitioner, and Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council (MAFC). (Carlo Laputan/EDCom)
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