Japan funds agrarian and agriculture project in Mindanao

Japan officially launched the “Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development Project (MinSaad)” on July 17 in Davao City. Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Lualhati Antonino, Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Jerry Pacturan; Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Assistant Secretary Howard Cafugauan; Mayor Rodolfo Duterte of Davao City; and Counselor Koichi Ibara of the Embassy of Japan’s Consular Office in Davao led the ceremonial launching of this very laudable initiative.

The MinSaad project is a yen loan assistance from Japan totaling 6,063 million yen. The project is designed to increase agricultural productivity and income of agrarian reform beneficiaries, as well as other marginal farmers through provision of small-scale agricultural infrastructure, such as construction of irrigation facilities, post harvest facilities, farm-to-market road, and capacity building support. It seeks to increase competitiveness and ensure viable and sustainable agriculture development in twelve selected settlement areas in three regions in Mindanao covering 205 barangays and 25 municipalities. Around 69,091 agrarian reform beneficiaries are expected to benefit from this project.