The Department of Agriculture in Ilocos Region led by its OIC-Regional Executive Director Nestor Domenden awarded Php43.4M worth of farm machineries and equipment to 72 farmers association in Ilocos Norte on Sept. 11, 2020.

Assisted by Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos-Manotoc, the awarding and distribution ceremony was held at the DA-Ilocos Norte Research and Experiment Center based in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

In his message during the program, RED Domenden underscored the importance of the farm machineries and equipment in pursuit of realizing DA’s vision of increasing farm productivity and income of Ilocos farmers.

Domenden encouraged the recipients to take good care of the machineries handed over to them as this would surely help in their farming activities to improve their yield and consequently their incomes.

He also sought the support of the association in all of the agri-development efforts of DA so that food sufficiency level in the countryside be increased.

Governor Manotoc in his message thanked the DA for its farm mechanization project that seeks to make farming efficient for his farmer constituents thereby improving their productivity and incomes.

He likewise pledged his full support and commitment in the development of the farming sector in the province and vowed to remain a strong partner of DA in bringing better programs and projects in agriculture.

The awarding and distribution of farm machineries is part of the DA’s mission to improve production efficiency as well as in response to the need to modernize the farming industry in lieu of aging farmers vis a vis lack of interest of the youth in farming.

Meanwhile, the Agricultural Training Institute based in Batac, Ilocos Norte thru its Assistant Center Director, Ms. Melinda Mangabat awarded to the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte led by Governor Manotoc a check worth Php4M as Rice Achievers Awardee.