To improve the implementation of Corn and Cassava Program in Cordillera, program implementers of Abra participated in the regional year-end assessment in Island Tropic Hotel Alaminos, Pangasinan on January 23-25, 2019.

Corn and Cassava Program coordinators Rona Rose Mistica and Josephine Atmospera of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG), Pidigan Municipal Agriculture officer Perpetua Ancheta, Corn coordinator of San Quintin Carina Garces, and Rosemarie Tesoro of the Department of Agriculture-Abra attended the regional program assessment. Atmospera said the objective of the program is to increase the production of corn and cassava in the province for nutrition, food security, and generate income for farmers.

Corn and cassava are drought-tolerant crops which can be processed as healthy snacks such as corn bits, cassava cake, cassava chips and fries. These crops are also the main ingredients in livestock feeds that can provide extra income for farmers.

The Provincial Government of Abra (PGA) headed by Gov. Joy Bernos through OPAG distributed 100 bags of open-pollinated variety corn seeds, 66 bags of white flint corn seeds, and 132 bags of organic fertilizer to farmers organizations in different municipalities such as Pidigan, San Quintin, Bangued, Lagangilang, Tineg, Langiden, Dolores, Penarrubia, Tayum, La Paz, and San Isidro in 2018.

To help the farmers generate better income, these municipalities conducted cassava production and livelihood training programs, financial and marketing workshops, and sharing good agricultural practices in their respective municipalities.