May 8, 2024. Farm sector in the country has been among the marginalized groups, despite the fact that they are the backbone of the nation. This is a reality that remains with us up until to present era. In rural areas where villages have been a battlefield, or have been affected by the armed conflict in the past years, worse condition is expected for our agricultural sector, for instance in the Bangsamoro Region.
However, with the present progress of peace in the land, the situation has been improving. Specifically for the communities in the camps, where war occurred in the past, development has been happening through various programs and projects being implemented across the six major camps of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) namely Camp Abubakar as Siddique in Maguindanao, Camp Badre in Maguindanao, Camp Bilal in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, Camp Bushra Somiorang in Lanao del Sur, Camp Omar Ibn al-Khattab in Maguindanao and Camp Rajamuda in North Cotabato and Maguindanao, as identified in the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) of the GPH-MILF in 2014.
Recently, farmer cooperatives in Brgy. Kakal, Ampatuan, Maguindanao under Camp Omar and Brgy. Kibayao, Carmen, SGA-BARMM- Camp Rajamuda have received combine harvester with implements from the program that supports the camps transformation and development.
The recipient, Ampatuan Kalilintad Agriculture Cooperative expressed thanks for the assistance received, “We are very thankful for this opportunity to see the fruit of our sacrifices. Our battle is not for this world, but for the hereafter”.
For the Sustainable Agricultural Farmers Marketing Cooperative in Kibayao, the farm machinery manifests compassion to the farmers, and the community that is significant towards peace and progress.
In April this year, farmer groups in Sandab, Butig, Lanao del Sur- Camp Bushra, Panggao, Munai, Lanao del Norte- Camp Bilal, Tugaig, Barira, Maguindanao del Norte- Camp Abubakar and Sifaran, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Mag del Norte- Camp Badre also received farm machineries.
The constructions of warehouse with solar dryer in Brgy. Panggao and in Camp Badre (Brgy. Datalpandan, Gundulungan, Mag del Sur and Brgy. Sifaran) were likewise, officially started in the same month.
In Camp Abubakar, the agri facility was completed, turned over and is already benefiting the community of farmers in Brgy. Tugain, Barira, Maguindanao.
All these development aid for the farmer cooperatives and many others is relevant to the on-going implementation of the PROACTIVE: Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment.
Support to farmers is expected to be of high significance in improving their agricultural activities and productivity, where they rely mainly for living. Through the PROACTIVE, farmer groups in the camp communities were formed into a cooperative and provided with various trainings, equipping them of necessary knowledge and capacity to manage and operate their organization and the assistance given to them.
Farmer cooperatives who received support in 2023 have reported relevant income by operating their machineries where members become more productive for their families and the community.
PROACTIVE launched in 2013 aims to contribute in enhancing local capacities to facilitate transition and transformation of the six (6) acknowledged camps of the MILF into peaceful and productive communities.
The project is funded by European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), implemented in collaboration with the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA Inc.) and UNDP-Philippines.
