ROAD ACCESS. A road network connecting Sitio Sagrada to Barangay Poblacion in Kaputian District, Island Garden City of Samal is now passable and will be used by some 848 farmers as access for their produce. The PHP60 million worth of farm-to-market road was turned over by the Department of Agriculture in Region on Dec. 2, 2022. (Photo from DA-11)
DAVAO CITY – Some 848 farmers engaged in high-value crops in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) will benefit from the PHP60 million farm-to-market road (FMR) project funded by the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11).
In a statement Wednesday, Marc Adrian Baddongon, the DA-11 Regional Agricultural Engineering Division chief, said the project of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Davao Region (DPWH-11) is a 1.9-kilometer FMR connecting Sitio Sagrada to Barangay Poblacion in Kaputian District.
Baddongon said the construction of FMRs in key areas is part of the government’s bid to promote food security and empower rural communities.
“One of DA Secretary Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directives is to invest heavily in infrastructure to achieve high economic growth. It includes the improvement of FMRs in the rural areas to support agriculture,” he said.
He said the project is expected to reduce travel time and cost from the usual 45 minutes to 20 minutes and from 4-5 liters of gasoline to 1-2 liters.
Mayor Al David Uy said farmers engaged in growing coconut, banana and mango are set to benefit from better access "and reduce post-harvest losses for farmers when transporting their produce." (PNA)
