Minalabac:Camarines Sur The Department of Agriculture (DA) - Bicol has allocated PHP1.5 million in financial assistance to a farmers' and irrigators' cooperative in Camarines Sur. This initiative aims to expand the cooperative's agri-food enterprise while maintaining a focus on climate adaptation efforts in Camarines Norte due to the El Niño threat.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA-Bicol spokesperson Lovella Guarin stated that the financial grant was awarded under the 2026 Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program. The San Juan - San Lorenzo Farmers and Irrigators Agriculture Cooperative (SJSLFIAC) of Minalabac, Camarines Sur, was the recipient of this grant.
The grant is expected to benefit approximately 92 cooperative members. Guarin explained that the KADIWA financial assistance program provides grants between PHP500,000 to PHP5 million to qualified farmers' and fishers' organizations to strengthen their livelihoods. Although the financial assistance does not require repayment, beneficiaries must provide a 20-percent equity counterpart based on the project's total cost.
SJSLFIAC chairperson Wilfredo Pilapil mentioned that the cooperative plans to use the assistance for its project titled 'Minalabac KADIWA Store A Sustainable Agri-Food Enterprise Expansion and Logistic Optimization.' This project includes purchasing a vehicle, freezer, and refrigerator to enhance operations.
Meanwhile, the DA's Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Program is actively monitoring farming communities in Labnig, Paracale, and Alayao, Capalonga, in Camarines Norte. These efforts focus on promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices amid the El Niño threat. The AMIA team reports that the municipalities continue to receive rainfall, and farmers are implementing climate adaptation strategies introduced by the program.
Farmers in Labnig are preparing for the corn harvest and employ climate-resilient practices such as farm diversification, planting stress-tolerant crops like corn, and using plastic mulch. Backyard vegetable cultivation supports household food security. In Alayao, a cooperative member is diversifying crop production with peanuts, mung beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, lemongrass, and pineapples to sustain farming amidst climate variability.
Through these programs, the DA-AMIA aims to assist farming communities in adapting to climate changes, sustaining agricultural production, and building resilience against climate-related challenges.
