The Department of Agriculture in the Caraga Region (DA-13), through the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (MIADP), is set to implement infrastructure and enterprise development projects to support the Mamanwa tribe in Surigao del Norte.

“These investment proposals include warehouse facilities, agricultural machinery, and other infrastructure support to boost the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples in the area,” said Vernon Jio Viajar, head of the Media Production Office for MIADP-13, in an interview Thursday.

On Wednesday, more than 300 clan and family members of the Mamanwa tribe from communities within Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) No. 254 formally endorsed their Ancestral Domain Agricultural Implementation Framework (ADAIF). The ADAIF outlines proposed subprojects under the MIADP that seek to enhance agri-enterprise development within their ancestral lands.

The Mamanwa communities covered by CADT No. 254 are primarily engaged in coconut farming, spanning some 2,000 hectares.

Among the identified priority projects are the construction of a bridge to improve access to markets and a Level II potable water system to serve the upland tribal communities.

Viajar said MIADP will begin validating the proposals within CADT No. 254 as part of the subproject development process.

In a separate statement, clan leaders Elizabeth and Luzminda Caga expressed support for the proposed interventions, saying these directly address the long-standing needs of the Mamanwa communities.

CADT No. 254 encompasses over 8,600 hectares, covering parts of the municipalities of Mainit, Malimono, San Francisco, Sison, and Surigao City in Surigao del Norte. (PNA)