Surigao del Norte agrarian reform farmers get modern rice harvesters
MODERN HARVESTER (Photo from DAR)
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has provided rice combine harvesters (RCH) to two organizations of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Surigao del Norte.
This move is meant to improve their farming operations.
Funded through the DAR’s Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), the Farm Machinery and Equipment (FME) worth P3.5 million streamlines the harvesting process.
The machines allow ARBs to work faster and with less manual labor and reduce post-harvest losses.
Rocky Aborro, chairperson of the Roxas Community Agrarian Reform Cooperative (RCARC) in Brgy. Roxas, expressed gratitude for the support that they received.
“We are very thankful to the DAR for this FME. It is a great help to our cooperative and to all farmers in need,” Aborro said in a news release.
The RCH can perform six key operations —gathering, transporting, reaping, threshing, cleaning and bagging— making the harvesting process faster, more efficient and labor-saving.
It can harvest up to three hectares per day, reducing dependency on manual labor and minimizing post-harvest losses.
Designed to be climate-resilient, the equipment is well-suited to local conditions, ensuring reliability even in challenging environments.
Lisa Aclo, Board of Director of the Mabini Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (MARBC) in Brgy. Mabini, Surigao City, was equally grateful for the assistance.
“Harvesting will now be easier in our rice fields. Our palay (unhusked rice) will no longer be at risk of rotting. Thank you, DAR, for this invaluable support,” she added.
DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Crisostomo Bernaldez underscored the impact of the initiative.
“By equipping ARBOs with modern FMEs, DAR is helping ARBs improve efficiency, increase their income, and modernize their farming operations,” he said.
