The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday bared that it will launch a five-year project in a bid to boost the agricultural activities in several ancestral domains in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In a press release, DA said the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP) worth Php 6.25 billion is expected to uplift the economic situation of indigenous peoples (IPs) in Mindanao through the provision of agri-infrastractures support.
It said that the agri-infrastructures support to be established under the MIADP is as follows:
- arm-to-market roads and bridges
- small-scale irrigation projects
- potable water system
- agriculture tramline system
Apart from the agri-infrastructures support for IPS, the agriculture department will also provide agri-fishery enterprises support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) covering different commodities including rice, corn, livestock, poultry, fisheries, and high-value crops.
The MIADP, which was previously approved by National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), will be funded by the World Bank through the official development assistance (ODA) loan.
This will be implemented from 2023 up until 2028.
"The MIADP forms part of the efforts of the Marcos administration to address lingering poverty among the indigenous peoples (IPs) in the southern Philippine region," DA said.
