DA taps SPDA for agri-business
By Mai Gevera
Davao City (1 February) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) will work together to achieve its target of 98% rice sufficiency by 2011.
DA secretary Arthur Yap yesterday joined SPDA Administrator Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan in the inauguration of SPDA projects. Yap led the ceremonial planting at SPDA's Organic Vegetable and Livestock and Poultry Demo Farm as well as the inaugural switching-on of the Integrated Feed Mills Corporation.
"We have seen that SPDA is flexible and the DA would like to use such flexibility to its advantage," he said.
The newly-inaugurated techno-demo farm is said to be an anchor showcase in Mindanao, Yap added.
The SPDA's rich contact with farmers, producers and other stakeholders is believed to be among its edge in propagating the benefits of such techno-demo farm for replication in all parts of Mindanao.
Included in the projects of SPDA and the DA are farms for high-value vegetables, poultry, and livestock. It is aimed to be the model for farmers all over Southern Mindanao to observe and replicate.
With DA pushing for a P25 billion budget for 2007, Yap is optimistic that a significant improvement of the agriculture sector will be attained starting this year. (PIA XI) [top]
