P5.5M Pavia Farm To Market Road Benefits 98 Rice Farmers

P5.5M Pavia Farm To Market

Road Benefits 98 Rice Farmers

by: James Earl E. Ogatis

Farm to Market Road. The newly completed P5.5M Farm to Market Road at barangay Pagsangaan, Pavia, Iloilo serving 162.58 hectares of irrigated rice land with 98 rice farmers. (James Earl E. Ogatis photo)

“It is a big help for us rice farmers in barangay Pagsanga-an, Pavia, Iloilo the construction of one kilometer farm to market road (FMR) by the Department of Agriculture (DA) 6,” declared Ereberto E. Jucaban, president P4MP-Iloilo and manager of Pagsanga-an Farm School established by the agricultural training Institute (ATI).

According to Jucaban, before the establishment of the FMR, farmers have to carry farm machineries, farm inputs such as fertilizers and seeds, and even their produce during harvest time for transportation was not available in this barangay road.

“We have to dismantle our rice thresher, cleaner, and handtractor so we can carry them on our shoulders to bring them to the area where we have work.” He stressed. 

“Farming was very hard at that time. We have to spend more money to bring in farm inputs and bring out our produce to market”, said Jucaban.

Jucaban is smiling for today farming is easier with the completion of FMR. They now bring their farm machineries to their respective areas and bring out harvest to the market. 

They now load their produce right through their waiting trucks beside their farms. The FMR serves a total of 162.5 hectares irrigated riceland with 98 farmer beneficiaries.

According to Homer Hubag, the municipal agriculturist of Pavia, “the municipality is willing to give its counterpart for their proposed two units of FMRs which will connect barangays Pagsanga-an to Lanit and Tigum to Lapayon.” These two FMRS will corroborate the existing road networks to maximize production not only of hybrid rice but also with the organic black rice varieties and high value produce within the area.

“The constructed FMR is constructed sturdier. “This makes our FMR stronger and durable that will stand floods during rainy season. 

The project cost P5 million funded under the Agri-Pinoy Rice program and a counterpart of Php 500,000.00 of Pavia LGU.

Pavia is a second class municipality and is considered the regional agro-industrial center in Western Visayas where agriculture and low-cost housing are the main drivers of its economy. /MP