January 8, 2010

Maguindanao needs modern agricultural system

Developing Maguindanao's agriculture industry could help bring peace to the troubled Philippine province.

Lakas-Kampi CMD presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro said a Marshall Plan type of economic package could modernise the province's irrigation system. Teodoro also suggested building a network of farm-to-market roads to boost the area's agricultural productivity.

Maguindanao has some of the most fertile farming lands in Mindanao, and developing and expanding the province's irrigation facilities to cover more acreage is a key to unlocking its economic potential that could double or triple its current agricultural yield, said Teodoro.

However, Teodoro noted that there should be a consistent defense system in the province in order to maintain the proposed reconstruction. Necessary road and communications infrastructure support should also be made and strengthened to boost productivity and enable farmer groups to market their products to the nearest population centres in the province and region.

By providing farmer groups in the region with irrigation and infrastructure support, poverty in Maguindanao, which is the primary trigger of violence and crime in the province, can be reduced, thus ensuring peace for the coming generations, according to Teodoro.