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DA conducts Basic Bookkeeping Training for Clustered IA Cooperatives

DIPOLOG CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE - The Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Office IX, in collaboration with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), successfully conducted a Training on Basic Bookkeeping for clustered Irrigators' Associations (IA) in Zamboanga del Norte on June 19-20, 2025, at Top Plaza Hotel, Dipolog City.

The training was attended by representatives from the five Clustered IA Cooperatives in the province together with Institutional Development Officers (IDOS) of NIA-Zamboanga del Norte. It forms part of the continuing convergence initiative between DA and NIA to enhance the organizational and financial management capacity of farmer cooperatives.

This activity also served as a follow-up to the previously held training on Financial Management and Simple Farm Recording conducted in April 2025. It aimed to further improve the financial literacy and record-keeping skills of participating IA cooperatives in support of the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Program.

Costa Este IA Agri-Coop holds Monthly Meeting

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Costa Este IA Agriculture Cooperative held its regular monthly meeting at the Manicahan IA Office on June 19, 2025, bringing together officers and members from District 2 to discuss updates and plans aimed at strengthening the cooperative's operations and support for local farmers. Among the key agenda items were the collection of membership fees to boost financial capacity, the upcoming implementation of the agricultural input program (Seed Capital Fund), and the finalization of policies on attendance, penalties, and monthly contributions to promote discipline and accountability within the organization.

The meeting was facilitated by Janica Basilio, Coop Alternate Focal Person, and led by Coop Chairman Edieson V. Pedro. The cooperative remains committed to holding regular and productive discussions to support its members and enhance the success of their farming activities.

TSAG Meeting highlights restoration of non-operational areas in Zambo. Sur

RAMON MAGSAYSAY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — The NIA Zamboanga del Sur Irrigation Management Office (ZDSIMO) conducted a Turn-out Service Area Group (TSAG) Meeting on June 19, 2025, in Barangay Katipunan to address irrigation concerns from three Irrigators Associations (IAs) covering over 70 hectares of non-operational farmland. The meeting gathered 22 IA officers and leaders from Magkat IA Inc., Katipunan Valley IA Inc., and Tumaro Dinuyog IA Inc.

Key requests included canal lining and extension from Magkat IA, with a 2.5-kilometer concrete canal proposal and a scheduled field survey on June 20 to assess feasibility. Katipunan Valley IA sought the continuation of a 3-kilometer earth canal and committed to providing fuel for backhoe operations after the October harvest. Tumaro Dinuyog IA proposed a solar-powered irrigation system, with NIA advising the submission of a resolution and land donation for site development.

Present during the meeting were ZDSIMO Division Manager Engr. Girlie M. Detalla, along with technical and institutional staff. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to improve irrigation services and supporting farmers by addressing infrastructure gaps in non-operational areas across the province.

NIA holds O&M Conference and 2nd Quarter MANIDUTAGUI Federation Meeting

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — To strengthen the implementation of irrigation projects and improve coordination with farmer-irrigators, the NIA Zamboanga del Sur Irrigation Management Office (ZDSIMO) conducted the NIA-IA Operation and Maintenance Conference and the 2nd Quarter MANIDUTAGUI Federation Meeting on June 20, 2025, at Pilgrims Hotel, Tuburan, Pagadian City.

The activity aimed to provide important updates on ongoing irrigation operations, address issues in non- operational areas, and present the current status of 2024-2025 irrigation projects. It also served as a venue to discuss challenges in the field, guide IAs in following NIA's Operation and Maintenance policies, and share updates on IA cooperatives that support the sustainability of irrigation systems.

During the forum, NIA officials emphasized the importance of regular coordination meetings to ensure that all IA concerns are heard and addressed on time. They also reminded IA leaders to submit official resolutions when requesting services to ensure proper documentation and faster action.

The event was attended by IA Presidents from various parts of Zamboanga del Sur, along with NIA officials including Division Manager Engr. Girlie M. Detalla, NIA-IX EOD Manager Engr. Rey M. Pinatacan, Engr. Rhiza Pao, Supervising IDO Ann M. Maligro, and IDU staff Ivie Sorino, who presented key policies on O&M.

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