A sugarcane farmers’ group in Matalam, North Cotabato received a much-needed boost with the acquisition of a PHP800,000 worth of hauler truck from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) over the weekend.

Evangeline Bueno, North Cotabato DAR provincial agrarian reform program officer (PARPO), said the Kabulacan Farmers Association (KFA) of Matalam was the recipient of the hauling truck with funding support from the Major Crop-based Block Farming Project of DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Program.

“The provision of the hauler truck as a common service facility aims to improve smallholder farmers’ farm productivity and income while making them resilient to the adverse effects of climate change,” Bueno said in a statement Monday.

Meanwhile, Emelita Mayol, PARPO I, said the government would be happy to see the organization as an instrument in addressing the needs of their community in transporting their sugarcane produce to the milling plant.

“As your association will eventually grow, you might consider shifting from association to a cooperative to access more support services from the government,” Mayol urged the sugarcane producers.

KFA president Jenier Capindo assured they will take good care of the project and will work on the proposal of leveling up into a cooperative.

Capindo also appreciated DAR’s assistance, saying it will greatly help in hauling their produce to milling plants on time and at a minimal cost.

“This (hauler truck) will not only serve us but also the neighboring communities, especially during this harvest and milling season,” he said.

Aside from the hauling truck, the association was also provided with farm inputs and capability development training on climate change resiliency. (PNA)