Farmers and fisherfolk have received a total of P13.6 billion in e-wallet fund transfers under the financial programs of the Department of Agriculture, or DA.

Since 2021, the DA said 2.69 million of these agricultural workers have benefited from its programs which use the e-wallet and identification tool called Interventions Monitoring Card.

Financial aid worth P5,000 is distributed to each rice farmer in the fourth quarter each year under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program. Farmers who till land measuring two hectares or less regularly receive the assistance whether they are planting rice or not.

In May last year, the DA also digitally distributed fuel subsidies to corn farmers and fisherfolk amounting to P18.5 million.

The e-wallet transactions are facilitated also through the efforts of the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Universal Storefront Services Corporation.

"The Department of Agriculture is modernizing the agriculture sector through digitalization. We provide inputs, seeds, fertilizer through discount vouchers, and unconditional cash assistance through Interventions Monitoring Cards with our financial technology partners," DA field operations service director U-Nichols Manalo said.

Digital leap

The DA said PLDT and Smart Telecommunications also helped the government agency spread digital literacy among agricultural workers amid the technological advancements in the financial space.

The DA said the use of e-wallets introduces and encourages farmers and fisherfolk to set up businesses using other digital tools.

Through the telecommunications firms' eBizNovation,the DA said they learn how to maximize technology to sell their produce or processed foods online.