LAOAG CITY: A total of PHP40.7 million worth of agriculture inputs and equipment were turned over by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Ilocos Norte's provincial government to local farmers and fishers here on Thursday. A total of 949 individual farmers and 26 farmer associations received 680 bags of organic and inorganic fertilizers, 8,442 bottles of foliar fertilizers and insecticides, 26 units of agri-machinery, such as water pumps, grass cutters, forage choppers, knapsack sprayers, plastic crates, and 98 packs of assorted vegetable seeds, palay, and corn seeds, distributed under the provincial government's "Agri ka Dito!' program. Under the fuel subsidy program, 110 farmers from Marcos, Ilocos Norte also received PHP3,000 each, while 137 livestock raisers from Dingras received one goat each, and 500 livestock raisers from Sarrat and Dingras received 500 heads of free-range chicken. At least 32 farmers from Paoay received PHP4,500 each as a cash incentive for the provincial government-initiated bamb oo rehabilitation project. A total of 313 fishermen from the towns of Bacarra, Banna, Batac, Dingras, Pagudpud, Paoay, Pasuquin, Piddig, Sarrat, and Solsona also received one piece of fishnet each, which included nets and weights, worth a total of PHP2.7 million. About 264 fishermen from Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Burgos, Currimao, Laoag, Pagudpud, Paoay and Pasuquin also received one-gill net each, which included nets and cords, worth a total of PHP1.2 million. In addition, 26 farm machinery amounting to PHP21,180,412 were given to farmer associations under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). These included eight four-wheel hand tractors and 10 hand tractors, two walk-behind transplanters, two rice reapers, and four rice threshers. 'We are so happy that all our requests were granted,' said Dominador Ignacio, a farmer from Laoag City. Ignacio said they were able to establish a sustainable community garden in Navotas South because of the free agricultural inputs being distributed by the governm ent to boost food security. During harvest day at the community garden, every household gets a share of fresh in-season fruits and vegetables. Through word of mouth, Rodrigo Sadian, who has a livestock and poultry farm in Barangay Salbang, Paoay tried to request for a water hose under the Agri Ka Dito hotline of the provincial government. After verifying his identification card in the local registry of farmers, Sadian said he received a text message informing him that the water hose he requested was ready for pickup. Source: Philippines News Agency