Farmers in Barangay Latud, Rizal have received hand tractors and threshers to help speed up the harvesting of palay in their farms.
Bobit Anihan, community organizer, said that the 1,500 members of the farmers’ association of the barangay coming from Sitio Sarimog and Sitio Kubtangun would benefit from the equipment provided by the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC).
“Wala silang equipment, tamang araro lang ng kalabaw kaya nag-request na sila na kailangan na nila ng hand tractor. First time ito kaya nagpapasalamat talaga sila. Tingin ko mas makakapagpabilis ito kung ikukumpara sa traditional na ginagawa nila baka halos out of 100, baka 80 to 90 percent mapapabilis ‘yong gawain nila,” he said.
Through the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP), two hand tractors and two threshers were given to the community members on August 23 costing around P260,000.
Anihan said that the new machineries will help the community improve the palay farming which is the main livelihood in Brgy. Latud that is composed of indigenous people (IP) and non-IP residents.
“At saka yong harvesting nila, dati nga dumadayo pa yong farmers sa ibang barangay para lang gilingin yong kanilang production, ngayon meron na silang threshers,” he said.
He hopes that the income of the association’s production will also be utilized to maintain the given machineries for longer use.
“Sana sa isang sitio ay may humahawak talaga kasi hindi naman pwede na papalit-palitan lang kasi baka mamaya hindi niya alam kung anong sira ng isang gamit. Hindi naman kailangan na libre kasi yong maintenance kailangan mo yan,” he said.
