CATARMAN, Northern Samar — The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) donated 10,207 farm tools and will implement a cash for work program for flood-affected communities in Northern Samar.

Erwin Cachuela, the project officer of FAO in Northern Samar, led the turnover ceremony on Thursday along with Vice Governor Clarence Dato and OIC Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Jose Luis Accompanado.

Cachuela said the farm tools are intended to support supports communities severely impacted by shearline flooding and low-pressure weather events in November 2023.

The farm tools were received by the municipal agriculture officers of the towns of Bobon, Lope De Vega, Catarman, Mondragon, Pambujan and Laoang which were the most vulnerable and severely affected based on the assessment of the Department of Agriculture regional office in Eastern Visayas.

Cachuela said the farm tools will be used in the cash-for-work programs for 2,344 farmers and fisherfolks who were identified as beneficiaries of the program.

FAO will also assist beneficiaries by enhancing their knowledge and skills in climate-resilient agricultural and fishing practices and by strengthening the capacity of local government units to adopt these practices.

Vice Governor Dato expressed his gratitude to FAO for the donations as well as the cash for work program saying this will help the farmers and fisherfolk recover from the losses caused by the flood.

Included in the cash for work program are 3,750 fisherfolk, 5,625 rice farmers and 4,500 farmers who are raising high value crops.

Under the CFW program, fisherfolk will render 10 days work, 12 days for high value crop farmers and 15 days for rice farmers where they will be paid P375 per day which is the minimum daily wage for agriculture workers in the region.

FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to combat hunger. FAO’s mission is to achieve global food security, ensuring access to sufficient high-quality food for active, healthy lives.