Italian Ambassador and DAR Secretary visit IARCDSP Project Sites in Mindanao

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1 Italian Ambassador and DAR Secretary visit IARCDSP Project Sites in Mindanao Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Rafael Mariano visited the development projects in Sarangani Province implemented by DAR in the frame of the Italian Assistance to Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP) last April 27-28, Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno (in black) and Secretary Rafael Mariano (in checkered shirt) together with IARCDSP National Project Manager Anuar Acop (rear right of the Ambassador) and Asst. Sec. Herminia Fe San Juan (front of NPC Acop) received warm welcome from the community of Brgy. Kawas in Alabel. IARCDSP is a bilateral Cooperation Programme between Italian and Filipino government towards strengthening peace and rural development in Mindanao. It aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of 53 thousand households in 35 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in the provinces of Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao - Mindanao. The 2.5 billion programme includes community infrastructures such as farm to market roads, bridges, irrigations, potable water systems, post-harvest facilities and other social services facilities. The programme also provides agriculture enterprise development projects such as nurseries, protection works, demo farms, land surveys, market studies and livelihood assistance including trainings for farmers on new agriculture technologies. Moreover, capacity building to strengthen farmers organizations and project implementers is also supported. During the welcome meeting in General Santos City, attended by DAR and Local Government Unit (LGU) officials from General Santos City and Sarangani, the LGU officials expressed their gratitude to the Italian Government for this development initiative that paved way to materializing most of the infrastructure projects in their municipalities. Ambassador Roscigno said that IARCDSP is the largest and most ambitious program of the Italian Government and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in the Philippines. He added that

2 it tackles rural development for poor communities which is among the priority sector for the Italian Development Cooperation. The program brings assistance to address the immediate needs of poor rural beneficiaries and also contribute to help in the success of peace process of the government on affected areas, some of which are covered by our program, Ambassador Roscigno said. The two-day visit concentrated on various on-going projects in the Municipality of Alabel and Glan. These projects include solar dryers, farm to market roads, potable water supplies and nursery sites. There was also a distribution of seedlings for environment protection works and a visit to a women s organization, the recipient of fish processing livelihood assistance. Ambassador Roscigno and Secretary Mariano test the Potable Water Supply in Brgy. Kawas, Alabel, Sarangani. Ambassador Roscigno and Secretary Mariano in the on-going farm-to-market road project located in Brgy. Baluntay, Alabel, Sarangani.

3 DAR and Italian Officials check the box culvert construction site of the 1.5 km. road being opened in Brgy. Small Margus, Glan. Ambassador Roscigno, DAR XII Asst. Regional Dir. Morales, and Asec. San Juan taste the marinated Bangsi (Flying Fish) product of Small Margus Women s Association, which received tools, equipment, supplies and materials for the establishment of fish processing facility. Furthermore, Ambassador Roscigno and Secretary Mariano led the Turn-over ceremonies for 2 units of Solar Dryers in Brgy. Baluntay, Alabel, and Potable Water System (Level II) in Brgy. Small Margus, Glan. Secretary Mariano expressed that with the solar dryers in Batodo ARC, the farmers will no longer dry their palay (rice) along the road. The solar dryers would be a big help for faster drying system and eventually produce good grain quality. The Solar dryers will greatly eliminate post-harvest

4 losses which will make the farmers harvest competitive. If our rice is comparable with imported rice, it will contribute to the country s goal to achieve rice sufficiency, Mariano added. of the Solar Dryer subproject to organization s representative Amir Tondog. Ambassador Roscigno said that the construction of the new pipeline system in Margus ARC will help many households that need supply of water. This is exactly the kind of projects we love to support, projects that directly affect the need of the people, he added. of the Potable Water System Level II subproject to organization s representative in Brgy. Small Margus, Glan.

5 of the Potable Water System Level II subproject to organization s representative in Brgy. Small Margus, Glan.