The future looks brighter for farmers in Central Luzon as the National Food Authority (NFA) officially kicked off the construction of a P527-million modern warehouse on Tuesday. This exciting development is part of the government’s ongoing push to enhance agricultural productivity and secure the country’s food supply.

The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of the NFA’s Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) program, a game-changer designed to help farmers reduce losses and boost income.

“This is the beginning of NFA’s transformation. Transformation requires people, equipment, and facilities,” shared NFA Administrator Larry Lacson during the event.

A Leap Forward for Food Security
The state-of-the-art warehouse is expected to hold 360,000 bags or 18,000 metric tons of palay, ensuring better storage solutions for farmers’ harvests throughout the year. It will also play a vital role in the national buffer stocking program, safeguarding the country’s rice supply during dry and wet seasons.

But this is just the start! Under the MAFIM program, the government plans to roll out:
📍 196 dryers
📍 48 silos
📍 221 warehouses
📍 57 rice mills
📍 24 corn mills
📍 638 handling equipment units

These modern facilities aim to cut PHP10 billion in annual rice and corn losses, empowering local farmers and reducing the country’s dependence on imports.

Helping Farmers Nationwide
Administrator Lacson assured that the MAFIM program’s PHP93 billion investment is on track, with more post-harvest infrastructures set to rise across the country in the next three years.

The modern warehouse in Nueva Ecija is just the beginning of a nationwide transformation that promises to reshape how farmers grow, store, and sell their produce.

With innovations like this, Filipino farmers are sure to harvest not just crops, but hope and success for the future. (Philippine News Agency)