DA to help BARMM in crafting 10-year Agriculture Master Plan

On his Facebook page, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said that together with BARMM Agriculture Minister Mohammad Yacob, they would convene a multi-sectoral workshop to prepare the master plan that would set a direction for the development of the region’s rich agro-fisheries resources.

Despite its vast fishing grounds and fertile soil, BARMM has one of the highest poverty rates in the country. It is composed of five provinces—Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Maguindanao, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato, the PDI also said.

“With its rich volcanic soil and the distinction of being typhoon-free, the DA is eyeing BARMM as a prospective food and fisheries production area for the country,” Piñol said as quoted by PDI.

For his part, Yacob said the region “has to leave corruption behind us and do it right this time,” following the number of ghost projects, uncompleted road networks, missing bridges and dysfunctional irrigation systems that hindered the regions development.

The DA and the BARMM agriculture ministry are set to begin the master plan shortly after the election period this month.