SOME 53,000 Filipino farmers and their families will benefit from the P2.5-billion Italian Assistance to the Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by DAR’s Public Assistance and Media Relations Service, IARCDSP Project Manager Pabil Marohomsalic said agrarian-reform projects aimed at improving the lives of the farmers in the countryside of Northern Mindanao is in the offing.
Also called agrarian “peace” projects, the IARCDSP projects are expected to boost confidence in the building efforts of the government by improving the lives of the poor in the less developed areas in Northern Mindanao.
IARCDSP began in February 2013 after the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine government and the Italian government. It is part of the European Union’s efforts to strengthen the Philippine government’s peace efforts in Southern Philippines.
Marohamsalic said proponents of the project are at the pre-implementation stage and are hoping to commence implementation next year.
“We have already started validating areas to be covered and consulted the local leaders on the immediate needs of their communities to improve their farms,” he said.