The almost completed 9.56-kilometer farm-to-market (FMR) road projects of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Ifugao are expected to benefit some 3,657 farmers and give life to the abandoned heirloom rice production in two towns.

Elvy Taquio of the DA-Philippine Rural Development (PRDP) Information, Advocacy, Communication, and Education (InfoACE) Unit, said in a text message on Monday that the 4.6-kilometer farm to market road (FMR) improvement project from Viewpoint to San Fernando in Banaue will benefit 1,841 rice farmers and residents in the area.

She said the PHP124.8-million project is now 95.26 complete based on the assessment of a Joint Inspectorate Team composed of representatives from the DA-PRDP Project Support Office (PSO)-North Luzon, Regional Project Coordination Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (RPCO-CAR), and local government unit (LGU).

She said several rectifications were ordered done to assure compliance with the contract specifications before the completion of the project.

On the other hand, the 4.96-kilometer farm-to-market road improvement project at Junction-Alimit-Nattum in Mayoyao town worth PHP140.53 million that will benefit some 1,816 residents, is now 97.6 percent complete.

Taquio said that both FMR projects were proposed to support the heirloom rice industry in Ifugao by providing easier market access to farmers in the two municipalities.

She said the LGUs see the completion of the projects as a solution to the problem of market access and the revival of heirloom rice production in these areas.

Taquio quoted Banaue municipal engineer Antonio Gayumma as saying: “Many have abandoned their lands due to the poor condition of roads going to their farms and they will surely come back to till their lands with these road improvements.”

The heirloom rice production farms in Ifugao were declared as UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) heritage sites. (PNA)