NEDA grants P30 million for Conservation Farming Village program

Some of the country’s uplands would soon benefit from PCARRD’s National Program for Sustainable Upland Farming through Conservation Farming Villages (CFV) with the recent approval of P30 million funding from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Supported through NEDA KR2 Productivity Enhancement Project (NEDA KR2 PEP), the CFV program would showcase and replicate best practices on upland development, particularly soil conservation management techniques through active participatory approach.

Expressing NEDA’s commitment to development at the grassroots, NEDA Director General Romulo Neri said the program would “develop new tools, or encourage farmers to properly cultivate areas rather than resort to kaingin.” He added, “given our population explosion, we cannot avoid really to develop our upland areas.”

PCARRD and local partners will provide a counterpart fund of P8.5 million for the project, which will help develop and implement an integrated approach to sustainable upland management; and increase agricultural productivity.

To speed up the implementation, NEDA is set to release a mobilization budget of P1.7 million to PCARRD. Subsequent releases would be made to duly approved project proposals from participating state colleges and universities. (Engr. Romeo Santiago, S&T Media Service)