Japan assists farmers in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro

Second Secretary Tokiko Nishimura from the Embassy of Japan participated in the turnover ceremony on May 23 for "The Project for the Procurement of Postharvest Equipment and Facility for the Farmers of the Municipality of Calintaan" in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro. Mayor Dante Esteban of Calintaan, along with municipal officials and local farmers, honored the occasion with their presence.

The majority of residents in Calintaan engage in agriculture as their main source of income. However, they have yet to widely adopt the mechanization of post-harvest crop drying. Most farmers continue to use the traditional method of sun drying method, spreading the crops on flat surfaces like roads. Sun drying depends heavily on weather conditions, and crops on public roads are susceptive to being blown away or run over by vehicles. As a result, farmers lose or cannot sell 10 percent of all crops due to damage incurred during the drying process, significantly straining their livelihoods.