DAVAO CITY – Indigenous peoples (IP) farmers in Magpet, Cotabato are set to gain better access to markets and essential services through the construction of a PHP55.1-million, 5.5-kilometer farm-to-market road.
The municipal government and the Department of Agriculture-Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project (DA-MIADP) ushered in the project’s construction phase following a groundbreaking ceremony and traditional land-blessing ritual on Oct. 27.
In a news release Thursday, MIADP project director and DA-11 Director Macario Gonzaga said the project under the Obo Monuvu Ancestral Domain will upgrade and concrete the road connecting Sitio Lumbayan and Sitio Sentro in Barangay Imamaling.
The project is expected to provide a more reliable route for transporting agricultural produce, ease daily travel and link farms to broader markets.
Located in the mountainous area along the boundary of Magpet and Arakan towns, Barangay Imamaling has significant agricultural potential.
Its major crops include rubber, which covers about 120 hectares, followed by banana at 30 hectares, tiger grass at 43 hectares and coconut at 12 hectares.
“This project demonstrates the shared commitment of the Department of Agriculture and the Municipal Government of Magpet to bringing meaningful progress to the agricultural sector, particularly for our Indigenous Peoples communities,” Gonzaga said.
With rubber as the community’s primary crop, the improved road is expected to make it easier for farmers to transport their produce to buyers and trading centers.
The road project is also expected to reduce transportation challenges, improve the movement of farm inputs and essential goods, and provide residents with easier access to basic services.
Barangay Chairperson Ricky Kalimpitan recalled the community’s long journey in pursuing the project and expressed gratitude to those who helped turn its aspirations into reality.
“It was a long and demanding process before this project was finally approved. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make our vision a reality. I am sure this will open up greater economic opportunities for our community,” Kalimpitan said.
DA-MIADP is a World Bank-assisted project that aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity, resilience and access to markets and services among selected Indigenous Peoples communities and farmer and fisherfolk groups in Mindanao. (Che Palicte/PNA)
ROAD ACCESS. Officials of the Department of Agriculture-Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project and the Municipal Government of Magpet in Cotabato break ground on Oct. 27, 2026 for the concreting of a PHP55.1-million, 5.5-kilometer farm-to-market road connecting Sitio Lumbayan and Sitio Sentro in Barangay Imamaling. The project will provide better access to markets and essential services, especially for indigenous peoples farmers in the town. (Photo from DA-MIADP)
