Espino sees Pangasinan as agro-industrial hub
TARGET AFTER FIRST 100 DAYS
LINGAYEN – Governor Amado I. Espino, III will continue to pursue the development of the agriculture sector in partnership with key players to attain the ‘agro-industrial enterprise status’ for the province.
The governor underscored his plan in his First 100 days report he delivered before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) last October 10, adding that the vast natural resources and the rich reservoir of skilled manpower of the province will be tapped to set the pace of agro-industrial development.
“With organized effort, the correct package of technologies, financing schemes, post-harvest and manufacturing facilities and proper marketing strategies, our farmers can graduate from being mere tenants and traditional farmers to become agri-business entrepreneurs, and our farmer’s groups from mere cooperatives to become cooperative enterprises,” the governor, a degree-holder on entrepreneurship, said.
He said he is confident that his flagship program designed to transform Pangasinan into a major agro-industrial hub in Northern Luzon and enjoined town and city executives, sectoral leaders, line agencies of the government, non-government associations and all Pangasinenses to share his mission, vision and strategic goals for the province.
Governor Espino reiterated his full support to the province’s farmers and vowed to sustain the various agricultural development – oriented programs initiated by his predecessor, former governor and now 5th District Rep. Amado T. Espino, Jr.
He said the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) has already released funds for the construction and rehabilitation of three communal irrigation systems covering a basic area of 290 hectares, 29 shallow tube well irrigation projects which has already irrigated 2,500 more hectares of farmland, and 146 kilometers of roads and 367 meters of bridges.
Other ongoing projects include 1 fish farm project to level up fish production, 3 livelihood trainings which benefitted 137 farming communities, organization of the Pangasinan Onion Growers’ Association composed of 12 onion-growing towns/city, and reorganization of the Pangasinan Cacao and Coffee Growers’ Association with 35 member groups, as well as the Pangasinan Agriculture and Fishery Council.
In addition to the inclusion of farmers to the Livelihood Assistance Program of the province, Espino said he will continue the farm input assistance program.
Farm inputs given to farmers’ groups include seedlings of fruit-bearing trees, tilapia fingerlings, subsidized certified seeds, fertilizers, gill nets and farming machineries. (With report from PIO)
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