LEGAZPI CITY – Two agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Camarines Sur are already seeing increased income following the turnover of nearly PHP3 million worth of farm machinery under the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Major Crop-Based Block Farm Productivity Enhancement (MCBFPE) Program.
In a joint turnover ceremony held on May 20, the Mambalite Palangon Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (MPFAC) in Barangay Mambalite, Libmanan, received a rice combine harvester valued at PHP1.34 million and drum seeders worth PHP149,745.
Just three days after receiving the equipment, the cooperative—composed of 120 members cultivating 105 hectares of rice land—reported earnings of PHP49,887 from machinery operations, demonstrating the immediate economic benefits of the intervention.
Meanwhile, the New Mataoroc Farmers Irrigators Association Inc. in Barangay Mataoroc, Minalabac, was also provided with a rice combine harvester worth PHP1.34 million and a water pump amounting to PHP149,845.
The association, which serves 158 members managing 237 hectares of agricultural land, has likewise generated more than PHP34,000 in additional income.
Ricardo Garcia, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II of DAR Camarines Sur I, emphasized the importance of sustaining collaboration with government agencies, cooperatives, and partner institutions to ensure the long-term success of the organizations.
“Receiving machinery is only the beginning. Greater opportunities will continue to open for our farmer organizations through continuous coordination and partnership with various support agencies,” Garcia said.
Both ARBOs are also set to receive additional farm inputs through the MCBFPE project in the coming days to further enhance productivity.
Beyond farm mechanization, DAR, in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), is also empowering agrarian reform beneficiaries in Camarines Sur through enterprise development initiatives.
Recently, members of the Catabangan Proper Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization Inc. in Ragay completed specialized training on dried fish processing, covering advanced product preparation, quality control, packaging, and presentation.
Garcia noted that the program aims to transform local products into competitive, higher-value goods capable of reaching wider markets.
“Through value-adding initiatives, we aim to increase product value and create more livelihood opportunities for farming communities,” he said.
The group is expected to present its enhanced dried fish products at upcoming local trade fairs and market linkage events supported by DAR and BFAR.
