A total of 428 farmers of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, received P1,978,235 in crop insurance through the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), Wednesday, January 26.
Fourth District Board Member Jose Benito Alonso, Pontevedra Mayor Jose Maria Alonso, together with Office of the Provincial Agriculturist OIC, Dr. Dina Genzola, led the distribution to the beneficiaries in the town’s municipal gym, a press release from the Capitol said.
The Agri-Fishery Insurance Program is a joint initiative between the Province of Negros Occidental through the OPA, and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), which aims to protect and insure agricultural crops of Negrense farmers.
The provincial government regularly provides funds to support this program to address the gaps in the agriculture sector and climate change that have been adversely affecting crop production and threatening the state of food security in the province, the press release said.
OPA record shows that as of December 31, 2021, 83,247 farmers with 93,374.84 hectares have been insured.
Out of the total farmers enrolled, 45,415 recipients have received indemnity claims in the amount of P213,455,715.13 covering 43,367.09 hectares of damaged rice, corn and high value crops.
Farmers enrolled under NFUCIP are entitled to financial claims for crop damages brought about by natural calamities, pests & diseases infestation aggravated by climate change.
The provincial government also distributed 20 sacks of milled rice and high value crops seeds to farmer-beneficiaries.*