CABARROGUIS, Quirino, March 16 (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Office 2 has turned over common service facilities or farm equipment to five Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations in the province under the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity & Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) program of the Department.

The beneficiaries include Villa Pascua Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Diffun; Ganano Irrigators MPCO-Diffun; Quirino Farmers MPC-Nagtipunan; ARBA Tres Reyes, Saguday and Maddela Integrated Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MIFSADECO) as the lead cooperative being the most viable organizations in terms of asset and operations.

These organizations will be operating and maintaining the common service facilities which include 11 units of farm implements consisting of six hand tractors, two water pump, two reaper and one thresher.

Frelita O. Bartolome, DAR Quirino information officer said the farm implements will be used by the ARBOs to boost productivity and income of their members and to usher development of their communities.

“Through these equipments, we are hoping for an increased production and income which will bring better quality life of the beneficiaries. The project also aimed contribute to the poverty reduction and employment generation under President Benigno Aquino’s 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan,” Bartolome explained.

The ARCCESS program is a government initiated activity in pursuance to the mandate of R.A. 6657 (CARP), now known as CARPER (R.A. 9700) after the former was amended and extended.

It involves the participation of state colleges and universities, civil society organizations, private institutions and other stake holders aimed at providing a wide range of services to improve the performance of agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) in terms of agri-enterprise, access to markets, product development, ability to compete with other businesses, and participate in economies of scale.