Upon assuming office in July 2019, Governor Rodito T. Albano’s first directive was to organize a “super cooperative” to support marginalized farmers in the province, addressing the challenges posed by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
A large-scale cooperative membership orientation was conducted across 32 municipalities, leading to the establishment of the Nagkaisang Magsasaka ng Isabela Agriculture Cooperative (NMIAC).
NMIAC was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) in August 2019, and the Provincial Government of Isabela (PGI) provided a loan of P40 million to facilitate its operations.
With over 8,500 members, NMIAC serves the dual purpose of building rice stocks for the public food grain distribution system and providing income support to farmers. Its objectives are to purchase farmers’ produce at a premium price, establish a value chain for small farmers, minimize the risks and impacts of rice tariffication, and ensure a guaranteed market.
