Zaplan delivers P4.9M Aggie Projects in Sta. Barbara

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

STA. BARBARA - The mayor here had implemented almost P4.9 million of  farming projects to his farmer constituents that composed the bulk of this agricultural town dependent’s population.

Mayor Carlito Zaplan said the distribution of the projects commenced from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014.

“The Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Sta. Barbara had distributed 2,319 cavans of Inbred Certified Seeds with subsidy amounting P1, 391,400.00 serving 2,288 farmers,” he stressed in his recent State of the Municipal Address conducted at the this town’s gymnasium.

He said the national government, through his intercession, gave 1,747 farmers here P2,451,600 for 2,043 bags of certified seeds.

“Another national program is Plant Now Pay Later (PNPL) which was 50 bags of hybrid seeds worth P175,000 covering 50 hectares was given to 38 farmers during the wet season in 2013; and 531 packs worth P796,500 during dry season which benefited 119 farmers”.

He said the Accelerated Rice Production Program sponsored by the Provincial Government of Pangasinan, Abono Partylist and the Department of Agriculture had provided 100 cavans of certified seeds to augment the seed requirement of this town amounting to P35,000.00.

He cited too that a Community Seed Bank (CSB) program of the national government was given to address the 800 hectares of land affected by drought. He said nine agricultural extension workers (AEWs) supervised and monitored 7,511 hectares for rice production: 4,280 hectares during wet season and 3,231 during the dry season.

“A technology demonstration projects was conducted in the barangays by harvesting 19 tons of Vermi Compost Fertilizer. 151 farmers have attended Capacity Enhancement Training Course on Sustainable Rice Production and also Participatory Action Research Demonstration that was conducted by MAO Personnel”.

Zaplan enumerated the other projects he gave as Inbreed Rice Seed Production, Municipality Soil Fertility Map, trainings on financial education for IA members, and farmers’ livestock school on integrated goat management in Barangay Corusocan.