To build the resilience and efficiency of its farmers’ associations, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program conducted a series of activities as part of the Social Preparation Roll-out for the beneficiaries in Davao Region from May to June, this year.
The activity was initially conducted in Brgy. Aliwagwag, Cateel and Brgy. Campawan, Baganga, Davao Oriental on May 20-23 and; subsequently in Brgy. Pangaleon, Malita and Brgy. Dalupan, Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental last June 9-12, 2025.
A total of 200 participants from various FAs attended and participated in the said activity, which involved one-on-one interviews among the officers and members as well as a focused group discussion (FGD) which assessed the association’s current situation, operational needs, and capacity for project implementation.
Through these interviews and discussions, the activity also laid down the groundwork for aspects of Social Preparation including Leadership Development, Communication and Conflict Resolution, Member Engagement and Participation, Network and Partnerships, Capacity Building and Training which are essential to build self-awareness and self-confidence by developing communication and interpersonal skills of our farmers.
Further, the rollout equipped participants with important social skills and strategies for effective social interactions which was led by the DA-SAAD Davao team under the leadership of SAAD Alternate Focal Person Naomi Lamata, who emphasized the importance of strong internal systems in sustaining livelihood projects.
In her message, SAAD Alternate Assistant Focal Naomi C. Lamata expressed, “Among trabaho ang matabangan kamo aron mapa dungagan pa ang inyong mga kaalam ug pag salig sa inyong mga kaugalingon aron mahimo kamong malampuson isip mag uuma, sa pama agi ni ining mga proyektong gi hatag nga supporta gikan sa gobyerno, Unta magamit ninyo kini ug tarong aron matabangan pud ninyo inyong pamilya sa kalisod.”
(Our job is to help you increase your knowledge and self-confidence so that you can become a successful farmer, through these projects that are supported by the government. I hope you will use them wisely so that you can also help your family improve their lives.)
During the activity in Barangay Aliwagwag, Cateel, Municipal Agricultural Officer Roy Rendon highlighted the positive impact of the Program on upland farmers.
“Malipayon kami labi na ang LGU Cateel, nga ang SAAD Program naka abot diri kay dako kaayong tabang ni para sa atong mga mag-uuma diri sa kabukiran. Tungod ani nga mga trainings, nakatuon sila sa paghan-ay ug pagdumala sa ilang negosyo. Nag hinaot kami na mapadayon og molahutay pa ang DA-SAAD program,” said Rendon.
(We are very happy, especially the LGU of Cateel, that the SAAD Program has reached here because it is a great help for our farmers here in far-flung areas. Because of these training sessions, they learned how to organize and manage their businesses. We hope that the DA-SAAD program will continue and sustain.)
Participating farmers are expected to be more competitive and build stronger, and more resilient communities by focusing on leadership development, communication, member engagement and capacity building. These would also help them improve trust and decision making by incorporating these learnings.
Through this initiative, DA-SAAD Davao will continue its series of activities through other group beneficiaries to reinforce its commitment to fostering inclusive agricultural development by supporting Indigenous People and other marginalized farming groups with the tools, knowledge, and guidance needed for self-reliance and long-term success. ###
