Farmers in Kauswagan in Mabuhay town, Zamboanga Sibugay are getting a boost in their livelihoods after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned over a โฑ1-million processing center to their association.
The facility, handed to the Kauswagan Integrated Farmers & Service Association (KIFSA), will expand production of the communityโs signature spicy vinegar โsinamakโ and open wider income opportunities for its 732 members.
โThis facility is a great help to us,โ said KIFSA chairperson Olivia Alforque, who thanked DAR for the support.
The project stems from a Memorandum of Agreement signed in March 2025, where DAR and KIFSA pledged to strengthen agrarian reform beneficiaries through enterprise development.
To prepare for the turnover, members went through training in enterprise management, product improvement, and marketing strategies. DAR said these capacity-building efforts aim to help farmers run the facility sustainably and compete in the market.
Under DARโs Village Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development project, the center expects to increase vinegar output, improve product quality, and help farmers secure more reliable market access.
DAR officials said the initiative is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.โs push to empower agrarian reform beneficiaries through community-based enterprises.
For KIFSA, the new center is more than a buildingโitโs a chance to grow their local brand, strengthen their community, and take part in the provinceโs economic growth.
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