Sucre, October 11 (RHC) -- Bolivian President Luis Arce confirmed Wednesday that his government's agricultural production programs have reached 87 percent of the municipalities in the department of Pando, benefiting 14,000 families.

The president said that these projects are supported with an investment of more than 36 million bolivianos (more than seven million dollars).

"In order to promote integrated rural development, which makes it possible to ensure the supply of food and raw materials for processing plants, we are advancing in the industrialization policy with import substitution," said the head of state.

He reiterated during his speech at the Honorary Session for the 121st anniversary of the Battle of Bahia that, through these programs and agro-productive projects in execution, 14 thousand families from Pando are benefiting.

In order to achieve food sovereignty, he anticipated that the projection until December of this year plans to continue strengthening agricultural production through public-private transfers of agricultural inputs for 69 families with an expenditure of one million Bolivians (about 142 thousand dollars).

"Within the framework of the implementation of the Rural Alliances Program, we have prioritized the construction of eight vehicular bridges in the municipalities of Filadelfia and Puerto Rico -underlined Arce-, benefiting two thousand 600 families with an investment that exceeds five million Bolivianos" (more than 700 thousand dollars).

During the Solemn Session, Arce also informed that the national government will allocate 38.5 million Bolivianos (close to six million dollars) to strengthen the first and second level health centers in the department of Pandino.

This investment will benefit the municipalities of Puerto Rico, Bolpebra, San Lorenzo, Puerto Gonzalo Moreno, Puerto Rico, Bella Flor, Filadelfia, Santa Rosa del Abuná, Santos Mercado, Nueva Esperanza, Cobija and San Pedro.

According to the head of state, this strengthening is aimed at first and second level health facilities, new telecenters, cold chain of the Expanded Program of Immunization, X-rays, ultrasound scanners and others, which will be subject to a study of gaps.

In the last 48 hours, Arce carried out an intense program in Pando on the occasion of the 121st anniversary of the battle that took place during the Acre War between Bolivia and Brazil on October 11, 1902 around the area of the stream called Bahía, located in the current Bolivian city of Cobija.

As a result of this confrontation, the Bolivian army reconquered the Bahía stream area and the Brazilian forces retreated, thus preventing the loss of more national territory (Source: Prensa Latina).