Marawi City”•The United States Agency for International Development is supporting an agriculture project that brings together the provincial government of Lanao del Sur, the East-West Seed Company, Iligan City government and Plan International, a New York-based independent humanitarian organization.
Gov. Mamintal Bombit Alonto Adiong signed a memorandum of understanding in which Lanao del Sur commits to provide the Marawi Response Project partnership with at least one hectare of pilot area for a demonstration farm for 200 farmers (at 500 square meters per farmer) trained under the program.
Jennie Alonto Tamano, head of Lanao del Sur Provincial Information Office, said the province also ensured safe access to a one-hectare proposed pilot area in the municipalities of Marantao and in Ditsaan Ramain as farmers’ “learning sites.”
Tamano said part of the commitment would be that the Provincial Government’s Agricultural Support Program and its personnel would form part of the monitoring and evaluation support team for the two learning sites.
Another learning site would be provided by Iligan City, which is lending another lot for a demo farm with support staff for monitoring services.
Tamano said the province also committed under the MOU to provide other logistical and technical resources when applicable.
The MRP would help hasten economic recovery in the war-torn city through increased agricultural productivity, among other measures, according to a draft agreement obtained by the Standard on Thursday.
The documents said Plan International (PI), through the MRP, will work on “oversight and coordination of the partnership project, including coordination between EWS, the local governments of the Province of Lanao del Sur and Iligan City and on “ensuring good communication and that all parties are up-to-date on project progress.”
PI will also spearhead selection of farmers to be trained, including required vetting and coordination for training, provide production inputs which pass USAID standards, including tools and materials to set up farming infrastructure.
Expenses for training meals and snacks for participating farmers shall be borne by PI, along with training guide materials and graduation certificates, and cost of rentals for training venues, and phone and internet cards for working staff.
East-West Seed Company, Co. Inc. (EWS) is based in Barangay Sampaloc, San Rafael, Bulacan. EWS was represented in the MOU by its general manager Henk Paul Marie Hermans.