A total of 37 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in Region 2 were identified as potential recipients of the Inclusive Partnership for Agricultural Competitiveness (IPAC) Project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Funded by the World Bank, the IPAC is a development strategy which aims to contribute to the thrust of the government in developing a competitive, sustainable, and technology-based agriculture as a means to spread the benefits of economic growth across various beneficiary groups.

The project has recently been approved and endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) 2 and the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) 2 during their joint meeting held on June 23, 2015 in Cauayan City.

Presented by DAR Assistant Regional Director Jess Beth B. Quidasol during the meeting, the IPAC project aims to uplift the livelihood of selected poor Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), small-holder farmers, and landless farmers.

“Out of the 142 ARCs in Region 2, we have identified 37 ARCs in Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya who will be potential beneficiaries of the IPAC project,” ARD Quidasol reported.

“The IPAC gives emphasis on market-oriented and value chain based agri-business enterprise development that will enable farmers’ organizations and individual farmers to gain greater benefits through a system of Matching Grant,” she added.

The 5-year IPAC project is also viewed by DAR as a means to improve the partnership between and among farmer-beneficiaries, non-government organizations, private businesses and other investors, and government agencies.

“The IPAC is expected to improve not only the living conditions of beneficiaries but also their competitiveness in terms of cost reduction, productivity, product quality, and ultimately, better incomes,” ARD Quirasol stated.#