DA-CAR’S 4K PROGRAM CONTINUES SUSTAIN INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS IN CORDILLERA

May 3, 2025 Provincial

BAGUIO CITY

The Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program of the Department of Agriculture continues to be a driving force in empowering Indigenous communities through sustained support and inclusive development. Since 2021, the 4K program has reached several Indigenous Peoples’ areas in the Cordillera region, including Abra, Lubwagan in Kalinga, Domolpos in Benguet, Nabuangan in Apayao, and Kadaklan in Mt. Province, focusing on advancing agricultural development within ancestral domains.

The 4K program aims to support Indigenous Peoples (IP) areas by developing ancestral agricultural lands into productive, profitable, and self-sustaining agricultural enterprises. Its goal is to enhance resilience and economic growth within Indigenous Cultural Communities.
The 4K Program has four components: Social Preparation, which builds the capacity of Indigenous communities through needs-based support; Production and Livelihood, which provides projects, equipment, and technical aid to boost farm productivity; Marketing and
Enterprise Development, which helps establish enterprises and market access; and Program Management, which oversees implementation, monitoring, and policy improvement.

“Yung 4k kasi, actually yan ay designed para doon sa IP areas, Indigenous People areas”, explained by Susan D. Balanza, Chief of the
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) of DA-CAR In partnership with Indigenous Peoples’ Organization (IPO), , National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Department of Agriculture (DA), and LGUs, the primary beneficiaries of the 4K program are Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) involved in farming and fishing within their ancestral domains. Not long ago, DA-CAR provided financial assistance to two farmers’ cooperatives in Abra to improve corn production infrastructure. Over the years, the program has received allocations of P6.9 million in 2020, P14.4 million in 2021, P9.4 million in 2022, P11.6 million in 2023,
P25.3 million in 2024, however, the budget for 2025 dropped to P17 million.

Rizza Hull/UB-Intern