By Manny Piñol
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Offices have been directed to start the validation of “real farmers” using drones and digital technology to ensure that government interventions, including the P30-B National Fertilizer Support Program will not go to the “wrong hands.”
A format which has been presented by the Information and Communication Technology Service (ICTS) of the DA has been designed to be used in storing information about every farmer and fisherman in the country.
The format will employ the aerial mapping and geo-tagging technology to ensure that the location of the farms and houses of the farmers and fishermen are validated.
In the last Internal Budget Hearing (IBH) of the DA, all Regional Directors were ordered to start the validation of rice and corn farmers in their areas in preparation for the delivery of support and interventions from government this year.
The P10-B Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) is expected to be released this mid-year and this involves the delivery of farm equipment and machinery and seeds for rice farmers.
President Rody Duterte also recently ordered the DA to implement the National Fertilizer Support Program for both Rice and Corn farmers to increase their productivity.
The program is expected to entail P30-B, definitely a large amount but the impact of the program on productivity could be immense.
In the past, government interventions were marked by irregularities with seeds, fertilisers and machinery going to the wrong beneficiaries.
The delivery of interventions in the past were also marred by political interference leading some farmers to complain that only those who are close to the political powers received help.
With the implementation of the Farmers Database which uses Digital Technology through Aerial Mapping and Geo-Tagging, the interventions will be delivered directly to the real beneficiaries.
(First three photos show the sample of a farmers database showing what help he has received from government and the location of his farm and house. The succeeding two photos showing rice and corn farmers were downloaded from public websites.)
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