Central Antique devt project to get P160M in grants

The departments of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, and Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday said that they are giving some P160 million in grants for development projects in Central Antique. The projects include the development of abaca and rattan plantations, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, irrigation systems, and tramlines, according to Philippine Agricultural Development Commercial Corp. president Marriz Agbon. These development projects will benefit 33,835 farm households, he said in a statement, noting that 32,288 hectares in the towns of Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong, Valderrama, and Patnongon will be developed. Agbon said that Central Antique will require P1.1 billion worth of investments in the next three years to develop priority crops such as rice, abaca, banana, and peanut, he said. The projects in Central Antique would give “potential to increase farm productivity and income of the rural poor" in the area, Agbon’s assistant told GMANews.TV, noting that they will promote sustainable rural development in the Philippines. —JE/VS, GMANews.TV