In a move towards enhancing agricultural production and ensuring food security, PhilRice Bicol has pledged to train irrigators associations (IA) in Region 5 on agroenterprise development inked in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 14 national agencies.
Signed on Jan. 24 at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Office Compound in Naga City, the MOU also stated that PhilRice will link the IAs to the Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) communities where farmers directly market their produce. PhilRice will also assist in building market linkages for the associations’ rice and rice-based product enterprises.
The commitment signing aimed to establish inter-agency convergence for the implementation of various programs and interventions geared at enhancing agricultural production and reducing reliance on imported products to boost IA members’ incomes.
Attended by heads and key officials of the signatory agencies, NIA Regional Office 5 headed by Engr. Gaudencio M. De Vera led the signing of the Pledge of Commitment Board and MOU with the partners, with the Confederation of Irrigators’ Associations of Bicol.
