It seems hard to believe, but Spain (one of our former colonizers) is supporting economically weak nations like the Philippines by extending its extra resources to help in its economic development. This came about during the Fourth Joint Commission meeting held July 3, 2001 between the governments of the Philippines and Spain. Food sufficiency program came out as the preferred intervention by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion (AECI), to be implemented under the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in the Caraga Region, and with the Local Government of the Municipality of Prosperidad.

According to the latest government survey, Agusan del Sur is classified as one of the poorest provinces in the country. Though it possesses vast fertile upland and lowland farms suitable to abaca, rice, corn, coconuts, and fruit tree orchards—the people still suffer from extreme poverty.

Take the case of rice. While the average harvest of 30,000 metric tons of rice is considered a local surplus according to the Department of Agriculture, due to the lack of post-harvest facilities, only 12 percent of such produce is availed of in the locality—resulting in rice deficit. Coupled with opportunistic financiers and traders, farmers often suffer from insurmountable debts and even confiscation of their tilled lands.

Considering the potential of approximately 5,000 hectares of rice lands—and still increasing due to the implementation of the irrigation system project—the Farm-Level Grains Center (FLGC) is the post-harvest project established by the implementers while the rice farmers become the stakeholders.

A total of P12 million was poured out by the Spanish funding agency as grant to put up the facilities which consists of a main building with an area of 2,010 square meters, with a 420-square-meter concreted area allotted for sun drying. The FLGC was also furnished with the latest multi-pass model of Satake rice mill equipped with components and accessories which includes a de-stoner, polisher and whitener.

This donated facility is also equipped with a batch re-circulating mechanical dryer with a six metric ton holding capacity. The project also features seven satellite warehouses consisting of 42 square meters of floor area per satellite. Four of the satellites have flat bed dryers with an individual holding capacity of six metric tons powered by a 13 horsepower diesel engine.

The project is also provided with a brand new six-wheeler hauling truck, Mitsubishi Canter, which could accommodate an approximate load of 100 bags of rice.

This program is governed by a Project Governing Board composed of the local town executives, the NEDA-Caraga personnel, and the existing peoples organization as a policy making body to direct and control its operation and sustainability.

The seven-man management staff that handles the day-to-day operations is headed by Elbert C. Gargar, a licensed agriculturist, as project manager. He is also a local leader in the United Church of God, Prosperidad congregation.

The facility was inaugurated on September 20, 2005. Two days before the event, Mindanao Pastor Edmond D. Macaraeg visited the said facility and was amazed by the extent and existence of such uncommon project, which is truly rare in the Island of Mindanao.

The facility with its P2.9 million operating capital buys “palay” (unmilled rice) at a good price from the rice farmers and processes it in into unpolished or polished rice depending on the market demand. The project also advocates organic farming to cater to the growing demand for organically produced rice.

—Reported by the UNP Staff and Elbert Gargar