Japan extends P78.5-M grant for agri dev’t through Japanese NGOs

March 20 ------ The Japanese government has awarded a total of P78.5 million worth of grants to three Japanese non-government organizations conducting activities in the Philippines to help bolster the strategic partnership between the two countries. Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko led the signing of the grant contracts with the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) International, Ikaw-Ako, and the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC) in a ceremony on Wednesday, March 17, in Makati City.

The OISCA project is phase three of the sericulture-based silkworms nationwide deployment amounting to US$574,214 (approximately P27.7 million) which involves the provinces of Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Aklan, Iloilo, Antique, Misamis Oriental, and Negros Occidental. Aside from conducting mulberry field maintenance to improve the skills of the farmers, this project aims to develop model sericulture farmers whose additional expertise in the future will increase the production of cocoons and high-quality raw silk.

The Ikaw-Ako project is a US$263,644 (approximately P12.7 million) grant to commercialize strawberry cultivation and encourage farm tourism in the village of Patag, Silay City, Negros Occidental. The project will lay out an income option for the residents by utilizing Japan’s strawberry cultivation technology and expertise in the operation of farms focusing on agri-tourism.

In the field of vegetable production and distribution, JAEC received the grant amount of US$789,856 (approximately P38.1 million) for the dissemination of the technology of applying charcoal, wood vinegar, and compost produced by locally available materials in the vegetable fields. This system aims to reduce production costs and secure income for farmers and improve the vegetable distribution process in the middle of Luzon. Started in 2002, the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects has made contracts for 55 projects in the Philippines amounting to approximately JPY1.4 billion yen in total.

Source: mb.com.ph