Japan extends $3M Yolanda rehab grant in Philippines

The Japanese government is extending a $3-million grant for the rehabilitation of agriculture and fisheries areas damaged by Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas.

Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) is made under its grant assistance program for underprivileged farmers.

The project would be implemented by the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) under the second phase of its AkBa, Agrikultura: Kaagapay ng Bayang Pinoy Program.

The rehabilitation work in Region 8 will focus on income-generating opportunities for farming and fishing communities in the region to help them re-establish their livelihood.

The rehabilitation program will be implemented for one year, reaching around 8, 500 farming and fishing families in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and Western Samar.

Households covered by the program will receive in grant assistance, $332 worth of planting materials and fishing paraphernalia.

NAFC, in coordination with the DA office in Region 8 will also conduct capacity-building activities that will prepare the beneficiaries for livelihood projects provided under the program. These include basic project management, skills enhancement, technology and record-keeping.

Typhoon Yolanda, which battered the Visayas Region last Nov. 8, caused severe damage to various farm subsectors valued at $690 million covering hundreds of thousands of cultivation areas.