ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/15 October)—Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said over 200 local farmers have signed up for the province’s Magtanah or Magtanim Para May Hanapbuhay program, aimed at revitalizing the province’s agricultural sector and uplifting the lives of its farmers by addressing key challenges in productivity and market access.

 “Ang ‘Magtanah’ ay hindi lang para may maitanim ang ating mga magsasaka, kundi para masiguro rin na may hanapbuhay sila at may sapat na pagkain ang bawat pamilya sa Basilan (The Magtanah is not only for our farmers to be able to plant but ato ensure that they will have livelihood and enough food for every family in Basilan),” Hataman said Tuesday, October 14.

“Ito ay bahagi ng ating pangako na walang maiiwan — lalo na ang mga nasa kanayunan (This is part of our promise that no one will be left behind, especially those in the communities),” Hataman said.

Local farmers who registered during Monday’s, October 13, program launch at the provincial capitol are presently undergoing a validation process, he said.

Hataman said Basilan has long been facing a significant challenge that, despite Basilan’s abundant agricultural potential, has led it to import food from Zamboanga City. He said the lack of initial capital for inputs and the difficulty in marketing their produce once harvested has stunted the growth of local agriculture.

Key components of the Magtanah program aim to address these systemic issues, he said. The provincial government will provide direct support for cash crop farming. Crucially, to tackle market woes, the province plans to organize an “Enterprise Development” initiative, wherein the provincial government itself will purchase farmers’ produce. This mechanism aims to provide a stable market, control prices, and prevent oversupply from negatively impacting farmers’ incomes.

Also, the province plans to allocate funds for the establishment of cold storage facilities next year. This will allow farmers to store excess produce, preventing immediate spoilage and empowering them to dictate fair prices rather than being forced to sell at a loss.

For the short term, Hataman said the provincial government will provide qualified farmers the technical assistance they need and coordinate with local agriculture offices to monitor the implementation of the program in various municipalities.

Hataman also said the provincial government will assist with land preparation and lend its tractors to help till farmlands.

The seedlings to be distributed under the program include high-yield varieties of vegetables, fruits, and root crops.

All purchased produce will be used for the province’s food distribution and feeding programs in public schools, rural health units, and emergency response centers. (Frencie L. Carreon/MindaNews)