Cebu City plans to acquire 30 hand tractors to modernize farming

Local

FARMING in Cebu City’s upland barangays may soon get a mechanized boost.

The Cebu City Council is pushing for the purchase of at least 30 hand tractors to help modernize farming in the city’s upland barangays and support thousands of farmers who continue to sustain the local food supply.

Through an approved resolution, Councilor Jun Alcover, chairman of the City Council’s committee on agriculture and rural development, urged the office of Mayor Nestor Archival to study, fund, and procure the agricultural equipment for distribution to accredited farmers’ groups in the city’s north and south mountain districts.

The resolution emphasized that while Cebu City is widely known as a highly urbanized center, it remains home to about 15,000 farmers who continue to contribute significantly to the city’s food supply and agricultural productivity.

According to the measure, Cebu City currently does not own a single tractor intended for the use of its local farmers, a gap that limits their ability to mechanize farm operations and improve crop yield.

Alcover said the acquisition of hand tractors would help farmers perform essential agricultural tasks such as land preparation and cultivation, particularly in the city’s mountainous terrain where farming still relies heavily on manual labor.

“Mechanized equipment would greatly assist our farmers, especially those in upland areas where farming conditions are more challenging,” the resolution stated.

The council resolution also noted that at least three major farmers’ organizations operate within Cebu City: the Cebu City Farmers Federation, the Alliance of Cebu City Farmers Associations, and the Cebu City Hillyland Irrigators Federation.

These federations have repeatedly expressed the need for mechanized farming tools to increase efficiency, reduce labor costs, and boost agricultural output.

Under the proposal, the hand tractors would be distributed equitably among accredited farmers’ associations and federations in the upland districts for shared use.

Alcover said the procurement is also time-sensitive, as farmers prepare for the upcoming rainy season when planting activities intensify.

Ensuring that farmers have access to mechanized equipment would help them maximize planting opportunities, avoid delays in land preparation, and prevent potential production setbacks, the resolution said.

Moreover, Alcover directed the City Agriculture Office and the Department of General Services to coordinate with farmers’ organizations once the equipment is procured.

These offices would help establish allocation guidelines, maintenance programs, and accountability mechanisms to ensure the tractors are used properly and benefit farmers across the mountain districts.

He said investing in farm mechanization aligns with the city government’s broader goals of strengthening food security, reducing rural poverty, and promoting inclusive economic development in upland communities.

“Investing in farm mechanization is an investment in sustainable local food systems and in the welfare of thousands of Cebuano farming families,” he said in a letter request sent to the mayor’s office.(TGP)