THE National Tobacco Administration launched the Farm Inputs Voucher Management System (FIVMS), an electronic voucher system designed to improve the delivery of farm inputs to tobacco farmers through local suppliers.
In preparation for it implementation starting the rice-corn production for crop year 2022, the Corporate Planning Department, in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Administrator for Operations, conducted on June 10 a virtual seminar for the Branch Offices, cluster leaders, and merchants.
In his message, Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Robert Victor Seares Jr. said the FIVMS will boost the agency’s capacity to provide long-term support to its farmers who are facing unprecedented market challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and global fertilizer shortage.
“We are adopting FIVMS to fast-track the provision of in-kind production assistance, such as fertilizers and crop protection agents, to all tobacco-growing provinces,” Seares said.
He added that the FIVMS will expedite agricultural deals by ensuring transparency and reducing fraud in the distribution of subsidized inputs.
“Aside from saving time and resources, it will also encourage a direct relationship between farmers and merchants and help farmers evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using different fertilizer combinations to improve the productivity and yields of their farms,” he continued.
The digital platform sends out e-vouchers to NTA branches and partner merchants who then notify farmers to visit their local supplier and receive the farm inputs based on a predetermined value. This allows the agency to monitor the distribution in real time, enabling the NTA to quickly determine who received aid and who did not.
The e-voucher system is expected to benefit some 4,978 rice and corn growers of the Integrated Farming and Other Income Generating Activities Project (IFOIGAP) during its first year of implementation. Under the IFOIGAP-Rice/Corn, the NTA provides production assistance with 40% subsidy in the form of farm inputs.
“The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tobacco industry cannot be overstated. They require an immediate response that will support the long-term resilience of the farmers,” he stressed.
The seminar was also attended by Deputy Administrator for Operations Engr. Cesario Sambrana, Deputy Administrator for Support Services Benedicto Savellano, and Department and Branch Managers and staff.