MOA with DA for irrigation equipment up for review

THE City Council committee on agriculture chaired by Councilor Annie Daba continues to find ways to boost the productivity of farmers in Cagayan de Oro.

The committee is set to review the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to be entered into by and between the city government and the Department of Agriculture (DA) for irrigation equipment.

Under the proposed MOA, the DA-RFO shall transfer to the city without cost one unit of pump and engine set amounting to P90,000.

It shall regularly monitor the activities of the city, ensure the installation, testing and evaluation of the equipment and provide other support or assistance.

For its part, the city shall serve as the caretaker and temporarily lend the equipment to farmer’s organizations or beneficiaries from neighboring cities and municipalities.

The city will shoulder the operating and maintenance cost of the equipment and secure all legal documents and shall take full accountability to any problem or issue regarding the equipment.

The grant is in line with the mandate of the DA to promote agricultural development through bottom-up self-reliant farming systems approach that will emphasize equity, productivity and sustainability.