THE strong performance of the agriculture sector was one of the key factors which kept the Philippine economy afloat in the wake of a global economic slowdown.

With the government pushing for the modernization of agriculture and fisheries, the goal of the Department of Agrarian Reform

One of the positive influences of a strong agricultural sector has been made possible through the Department of Agrarian Reform's "BayanAnihan'' program, which is based on asset distribution and reform, poverty reduction, rural development, and the promotion of peace.

The program was designed to integrate agrarian reform strategies and utilize them as a major means to provide support services to the agrarian reform communities. Since its implementation, agrarian reform has been able to establish more than a thousand agrarian reform communities in municipalities and barangays.

These communities showcase the support extended by the DAR and other Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program-implementing agencies to enhance capacity building, credit marketing, physical infrastructure, and basic services such as water and power supply and educational projects.

Last year, the DAR completed several support service projects, including farm-tomarket roads, bridges, irrigation systems, and service harvest facilities. The Department of Agrarian Reform also provided training for livelihood and enterprise development, financial assistance in the form of credit, and postharvest processing facilities, and improved farm income.

As the Department of Agrarian Reform continues to acquire compensable lands, mostly from voluntary land transfer, and apportions them to small farmers, it will transform the countryside into dynamic communities and venues for progress.