Japan plans to implement an P82-million project that seeks to improve Benguet farmers’ productivity through establishment and provision of post-harvest facilities, such as cold storage and refrigerated cooling trucks, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday.
The DA said Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar recently met with the representatives from Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC) to discuss the status of the latter’s proposed Safe Vegetable Production with Marketing Technology Improvement project in the Philippines.
“The initiative aims to capacitate farmers to improve production through the Safe Vegetable from Rich Soil [SAVERS] technology, which enriches the soil by using organic matter such as ‘mokusaku’ [wood vinegar],” the DA said in a statement on Tuesday.
The DA explained that JAEC’s proposal includes the construction of a cold storage solar-powered facility in Buguias, Benguet, as well as the purchase of refrigerated cooling trucks, to improve post-harvest handling, storage, and delivery of farmers’ produce.
“The proposed P82-million project will be funded by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is currently under the review of the National Economic and Development Authority,” it said.
“It will also go through the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs, to be approved by the Office of the President,” DA added.
The DA said a memorandum of agreement will be drafted and signed between the DA and JAEC after the proposed project has been approved by the concerned agencies. Quoting JAEC Senior Local Coordinator Toshiharo Sato, the DA said “many Filipino farmers” are waiting for the proposed project.
The DA added that Dar is interested in the Japan-funded project and is hoping that the project would be approved before the end of the current administration.
“He called for the creation of a steering committee to help speed up the approval process,” it said.
“The agri chief also instructed JAEC representatives to review its procurement process and to prepare the project design for immediate implementation once the project is approved,” it added.