Manila, Philippines – The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) opened its doors to the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program for a possible collaboration, in a meeting last May 29, 2017, at the Department of Agriculture, Elliptical Rd. Diliman, Quezon City.

In a short presentation, Marvin Segovia, SAAD National Program Coordinator for Mindanao, emphasized the objective of the DA to provide affordable and sustainable food for the Filipinos, hence the creation of the SAAD Program. He also briefed the TIKA representatives on how the SAAD aims to supplement the other existing DA-Banner Programs in providing agricultural assistance to the marginalized farmers and fisherfolk in ten (10) identified priority provinces from 2017-2022.

Burak Saritarla, Country Director of TIKA in the Philippines, expressed great appreciation for the efforts of the SAAD Program to extend the help to the grassroots level where other Agencies fail to access. Thus, he, along with Enes Dolukup, TIKA’s Deputy Country Director, and Rahib Abdulah, TIKA’s Program Development Officer, generously offered support to the SAAD beneficiaries.

The support will be in the form of agricultural interventions based on the identified needs of the beneficiaries in selected priority provinces.

TIKA is a Turkish agency operating since 1992. It aims to help its sister countries (Turkish-speaking nations) to regain social structures and economic, cultural and educational sustainability through the provision of aids. In 2015, the TIKA has extended their help to other neighboring countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia including the Philippines. ###