TACLOBAN CITY – A three-hectare cassava model farm will soon rise in Malitbog town in Southern Leyte, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday.
In a statement, DA Eastern Visayas information officer Francis Rosaroso, said the project is part of the provincial government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) recovery program that would create livelihood opportunities and promote self-sufficiency in the province.
The farm will rise inside the Army reservation area in Sangahon village, where DA’s Malitbog Research Station is located. Rosaroso said it will deliver 100,000 pieces of golden yellow cassava planting materials in the next few days.
The regional office has committed to donate PHP7 million mobile flash dryers, conduct specialized training on cassava production technology, set up farm and fisheries clustering and consolidation (F2C2) projects for cassava, and establish another cassava farm in Sogod town.
The F2C2 program aims to efficiently channel assistance such as credit, modern production methods, farm machinery, post-harvest and program facilities, transport and logistics packaging support, as well as information and communication technologies, to farm and fishery clusters.
“Recognizing the importance of planting alternative crops for rice, we are always on the lookout for substitute food staple that will not only give rich dietary supplement to the consumers, but provide livelihood opportunities for the farmers as well,” Rosaroso said. During the launching on Tuesday, the regional office distributed 100,000 cassava planting materials for the nearby towns of Libagon and Matalom. (PNA)
