Italian Government completes Php 2.6-B development project in Mindanao

By DAR XII

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Italian government and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) have finally concluded the eight-year project that supported farming communities in Mindanao that were lacking in vital rural infrastructure and capacity-building measures to make their livelihood sustainable.

We hope our partners in government will continue to sustain the gains from the project and help the beneficiaries maintain the infrastructure so the ARBs and farmers can be relieved from poverty and overcome the challenges from this pandemic,”

A project exit conference was held on March 29, 2022 at Greenleaf Hotel, General Santos City to celebrate the success of the Italian project. Present during the activity was NEDA XII ARD Carmel P. Matabang, who delivered a message of goodwill. She said that “the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (AFF) sector is the key in providing raw materials to the manufacturing and service sectors, resulting in forward linkages in terms of higher-paying and more stable job opportunities.” She added that it is important to intensify efforts to revitalize the AFF and harness its growth potentials to promote a more inclusive development.

As a bilateral cooperation program between the Italian and Philippine Government, the Italian Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP) which aimed to strengthen peace and rural development here in Mindanao, is expected to improve the living conditions of thousands of households in the identified Agrarian Reform Communities.

Deputy Head of Mission, Dr. Pietro Pipi said, the partner government agencies and LGUs played a major role in the joint effort of addressing food security and promoting resiliency in the implementation of the project.

Aside from the DAR, the project was co-implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the National Irrigation Administration, and the LGUs in the settlement areas.

The IARCDSP, Italy’s aid agency for development cooperation, focused its projects on strengthening the peace process in Mindanao by eradicating extreme poverty and hunger through strategic measures geared to open more economic opportunities for farmers.

According to DAR Secretary Bernie Cruz, the project was delayed since its inception in 2018 but its major components hit 100-percent last year.