Zamboanga del Sur sees agriculture growth with P345-M FMR projects
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — The provincial government of Zamboanga del Sur has secured P345 million worth of farm-to-market (FMR) projects, a development seen to enhance agricultural productivity, ease transportation and stimulate economic growth in the area.
Gov. Divina Grace Yu said the infrastructure investment will be funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through allocations under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Yu hailed the national government-funded project as a “game-changer” investment that will significantly improve access, especially for farmers, by linking their farms directly to markets, lowering transport costs, and strengthening rural economies.
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“This partnership highlights our shared commitment to rural development. These roads will not only connect farms to markets but also connect communities to opportunities,” she said.
Yu and DA-Region 9 director Vener Dilig signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the FMR projects at the Provincial Government Center here last week, which was witnessed by Agriculture Undersecretary Arrey Perez.
Perez said this was the first MOA signed by the DA with a local government unit this year, with secure funding from the GAA.
“That is just for a start,” he said, adding that another batch of agriculture-related projects is coming for the province.
The officials conducted site inspections of the proposed road projects to assess their readiness for implementation.
They inspected the Agro-Industrial Eco-Tourism Hub in Ramon Magsaysay town to assess how the DA can further assist and strengthen the local value chain with a focus on key agricultural interventions, including the development of FMRs, provision of high-quality fertilizers, and enhancement of overall crop quality and market access for local commodities, especially coffee and cacao.
The P345-million investment will cover 22 farm-to-market road projects divided into two clusters, spanning the municipalities of Midsalip, Josefina, Tambulig, Dumingag, Molave, Dimataling, Dinas, Tigbao, Pitogo, Vincenzo Sagun, Pagadian City, Aurora, Labangan, Sominot, Mahayag, Bayog, Lakewood, and Lapuyan.
Zamboanga del Sur produces a wide range of crops that sustain local communities and supply markets across the region.
Dante Lao-ay, provincial agriculturist, said that major crops include rice, corn, and coconut, the latter for copra and oil production.
The province is also emerging as a promising producer of cacao and coffee while maintaining its traditional strength as a rice- and corn-growing province as farmers expand into high-value crops through provincial programs, he added.
With ongoing infrastructure projects such as farm-to-market roads, officials expect faster delivery of these products, reduced transport costs, and stronger market linkages to further stimulate the province’s agricultural economy. /das /atm
