PILI, Camarines Sur, Jan. 18 (PNA) -– Where farm-to-market roads are impossible, the regional office for Bicol of the Department of Agriculture (DA) had a solution: aggie tramlines.
This mode of transportation has been proving its usefulness since the DA, through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) put up two of its kind in the abaca-rich island province of Catanduanes last year.
The two tramline systems are now making hauling of products from the mountainous abaca and coconut plantations in Viga and Panganiban towns of Catanduanes faster and convenient.
“We have identified three more sites for this project in Bicol--one in Ligao City, another one in its nearby Polangui town, both in Albay and the third in Camarines Norte. We are encouraging more local government units (LGUs) in the region to avail of it by submitting proposals,” DA regional executive director Jose Dayao over the week here said.
Remote agricultural areas that are not accessible by roads or any other form of transportation to transport their products to the market will greatly benefit from this project, he said.
There are still many farmlands in the region that are difficult to reach due to the absence of roads or isolated by wide rivers, steep ravines and mountainous terrain. The common sights in these areas are animal-pulled sleds loaded with crops and farmers on foot carrying farm products on their back from a distance to the market.
These modes of transport and movement cause deterioration of the farmers’ produce given the time consumed and punishment of negotiating rugged terrains. Thus, the PhilTech developed the agricultural tramline system to reverse the situation and at the same time minimize production losses.
Based on the study conducted by PhilMech, post-harvest losses are at 40-60 percent in horticultural crops in difficult areas with no road network and appropriate transportation system.
Given the importance of Catanduanes as the country’s leading abaca producer and the transportation woes being experienced by its farmers, Dayao said the DA and PhilTech made the province the first recipient of the tramline system project. (PNA)
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