DLR reports 89% accomplishment on CARP land coverage
by R. Nessia
Dumaguete City (30 June 2005) -- Land coverage under the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in Negros Oriental has already reached an accomplishment of 89% according to a top agrarian reform officer here.
As of May 2005, the Department of Land Reform (DLR) here reported a total of 78,753 hectares of land distribution under CARP, covering 47,049 farmer beneficiaries.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Stephen Leonidas reported in a recent Kapihan forum that their accomplishment is based on CARP's target working scope of 88,964 hectares.
The Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency is in celebration of CARP's 17th year of implementation in the country.
In Negros Oriental, there are currently 26 agrarian reform communities in 12 municipalities covering 121 barangays.
Of these, there are 154 agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations with 15,824 farmer-beneficiary members.
The said organizations have a total capital buildup of 18.2 M, money coming from beneficiaries who contributed to their cooperatives as part of the requirements for a coop to be legalized or registered and for funding agencies as well.
DLR recently firmed up its support services projects for agrarian reform communities nationwide with the infusion of some P3 billion financial aid from the Official Development Assistance Fund.
Leonidas explained that the ARC is a cluster of 4 to 8 barangays where the land tenure and program beneficiaries development programs are being implemented and where the beneficiaries have not yet received support services.
When Leonidas first stepped in as PARO of Negros Oriental in 2002, a total of 16,000 hectares of land were identified as "problematic lands" due to resistance from land owners and ownership issues.
But in two years time, the total problematic areas were reduced to 10,742 hectares. "So there is a possibility that this (the total number of problematic lands), by the end of CARP in 2008, mahurot ug cover," says Leonidas.
Right now DLR is looking for ways and means to resolve problematic lands, in cooperation with DENR, LBP, PNOC and other agencies involved in CARP implementation.
Negros Oriental has total land area of 540,230 hectares. Of these, almost one half is agricultural area with 209, 712 has.
Main crops planted are coconut, sugar, corn, palay. (PIA)
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