SARANGANI — The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) National Program Management Office (NPMO) team went to Sarangani in SOCSKSARGEN (Region XII) to field validate project interventions last June 27 to 30, 2017.

The team, led by SAAD Deputy Program Director Bernadette San Juan, visited Sitio Miasong, Barangay New Aklan, and Malapatan with the New Aklan Farmers Association president Olivia Yama. The said farmers’ association has a total of 125 SAAD beneficiaries for rice and corn production. Completing the team are National Program Coordinator Marvin Segovia, Operation Officer Jacquelyn Rebusit, and IT Consultant Camilo Andi.

The field validation and monitoring of project proposals were done to keep interventions available to those who worthily need them. The SAAD Program was created in 2016 under DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s command to provide agricultural assistance to marginalized farmers and fisher folks.

The projects validated are part of the P25m budget, which was given as the first tranche to the province last 2015.

Director San Juan also suggested constructing bolder terraces in the upland farm areas in the said towns to conserve water and prevent soil erosion.

Meanwhile, the team also visited the office of North Cotabato Governor Lala Talino Mendoza, wherein they’ve discussed the procurement of agricultural interventions to the province’s beneficiaries.

The provinces of Sarangani and North Cotabato are one of the top 10 priority provinces in the SAAD Program for the year of 2017, along with Northern, Eastern, and Western Samar, Negros Oriental, Apayao, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Zamboanga del Norte. ###