At least 800 small farmers here and Pigcawayan municipality in this province benefited from PHP3.1 million worth of farm assistance from the provincial government, an official said Thursday.

In a statement, Governor Emmylou Mendoza said agriculture interventions were separately given Wednesday as part of improving the province’s food security.

“They (farmers) are always on top of our priorities amid challenges that hinder the sector,” she said.

The distribution forms part of the regular program of the provincial government to help local farmers, especially those whose crops were devastated by calamities.

In this town, Mayor Jeam Villasor of Arakan led the ceremony distribution of PHP 1.3 million worth of farm inputs to 330 farmer-beneficiaries.

These include PHP320,000 worth of certified rice seeds, complete fertilizer amounting to PHP400,000, and PHP585,000 worth of genetically modified corn seeds.

“These inputs will help our farmers to lessen their capitalization and expenditure to guarantee viable yields,” Villasor said in a separate statement.

Meanwhile, in Pigcawayan town, some PHP1.8 million worth of farm support was also given to 470 rice and corn farmers.

The assistance consisted of PHP540,000 genetically modified corn seeds, PHP560,000 worth of certified rice seeds, and PHP700,000 complete fertilizer.

Mendoza said other towns will be served with the same assistance soon. (PNA)