Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura (third from left) led the turnover ceremony of the Project for Establishment of Organic Rice Post Harvest Facilities in Barangay Salngan, Passi City, Iloilo. Photo also shows, (from left) Passi City Mayor Elyzer Chavez, Iloilo Provincial Governor Niel Tupas and Center for Agrarian Reform for Rural Development (CARRD) Executive Director Edwin Nerva. |
Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura attended the turnover ceremon y of the project entitled, “The Project for Establishment of Organic Rice Post Harvest Facilities in Barangay Salngan, Passi City, Iloilo” on November 4, 2009. The ceremony was joined by Passi City Mayor Elyzer Chavez, Department of Agriculture Regional Director Larry Nacionales and Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARRD) Executive Director Edwin Nerva . The project, amounting to 44,422 US dollars or approximately 2.1 million pesos is funded through the Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). The project aim s t o i ncreas e organic rice production and promot e rice-based enterprises to increase household income of 108 farmers in six (6) barangays in Passi City, who are also agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood of most residents in Passi City, where more than 80% of the land area is classified as “agricultural”. However, the unabated use of chemical-based farm inputs has made the soil infertile, and the volume of rice harvest in the area has gradually declined. This situation has encouraged some farmers to shift to organic farming method in order to gain back soil nutrients in their farms. However, the unavailability of post harvest facilities and the limited of awareness of rice traders about the benefits of organic rice are forcing farmers to sell their produc ts at a lower price.
In this project, the private sector that has a rich experience in the sale of organic rice will also get involved in the project and play an important role in marketing activities. It is expected that, through the improvement of the quality and marketability of organic rice, the livelihood of farmers will be improved.
Ambassador Katsura stated in his speech that the storage and rice milling facility funded by the grant would improve the livelihood of rice farmers and also lead to the economic development in Passi City.
The GGP was launched in the Philippines in 1989 as small funding facility that aims to support small-scale projects that directly benefit the grassroots level as well as contribut e to the country's socio-economic development. As of 2009, more than 400 small-scale grassroots projects, amounting to a total of 238 million yen (approximately 2.1 million US dollars), have been implemented by NGOs, local government units and other non-profit organizations.
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