THE Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is extending ¥4.9 billion in official development assistance (ODA) to the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) for developing the agriculture sector in Mindanao. Launched this week, the project is meant to support farmers’ cooperatives, agriculture enterprises and related groups in Mindanao. “Harvest presents opportunities to help ordinary Filipino farmers in Mindanao and related institutions grow the agriculture sector. Under Harvest, the Japanese aid agency is also providing the LandBank as well as agriculture cooperatives and relevant institutions the necessary training and technical assistance in human resource. From 2003 to 2015, JICA and the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs have extended ¥20 billion of development aid.

Source: Manila Times January 13, 2017 17:06 UTC