Three Farmers Cooperatives Secure ₱2-M DAR Loan to Boost Rice Production

LA UNION – Three (3) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in this province received a ₱2 million loan under the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Accessible Loans for Empowered, Resilient, and Transformed Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ALERT ARBO) Program. The loan aims to support the rice production efforts of 54 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from these organizations.

The program, a collaborative effort among the DAR, the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Landbank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), is designed to provide affordable and timely financial assistance to ARBOs and their members. This initiative seeks to enhance their farming practices and improve household incomes.

Of the 54 ARBs, 29 are members of the Sinapangan Sur Farmers Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative, 13 belong to the Macalva Neighborhood Investment Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and 12 are with the Gusing Sur Agrarian Reform Cooperative. The financial aid will primarily fund the ARBs' rice production activities.

In addition to loan support, DAR conducted a capacity development training for the recipient ARBOs, focusing on financial literacy, lending policy development, and risk management. These training are essential to ensuring effective fund management among beneficiaries.

The ALERT ARBO Program also offers credit support services, including agricultural insurance, technical assistance, capacity building, and marketing assistance, to further empower ARBOs and strengthen their resilience against economic and environmental challenges.