SIAYAN, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE – Sixty (60) farmers from Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte are now ready to be banana lakatan producers after receiving 15,000 tissue-cultured plantlets in October 2018.
Siayan Mayor Flora Villarosa envisions the municipality to be the top producer of banana lakatan in the province. The variety is currently sold at P25 per kilo in the area.
The Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) in Region IX first delivered the banana plantlets to the Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) of Siayan on September 19, 2018.
The inputs will benefit 60 farmers from four villages, which are Balunokan, Datagan, Soguilon, and Moyo. Each beneficiary received 250 plantlets.
The distribution of the plantlets started on October 11 and 12, 2018 for the farmer-partners of Barangays Soguilon and Datagan. Barangays Balunokan and Moyo farmers received their inputs on October 17 and 18, 2018.
SAAD Zamboanga del Norte Area Coordinator Roger Dave Gramatic led the distribution with the help of Siayan Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO) staff. Siayan MLGU provided the truck used for the delivery.
Agricultural technicians from the Siayan MAO will monitor the banana plantlets after two weeks from the distribution.
Aside from the plantlets, farmers will also receive complete fertilizers, urea, muriate of potash, agri lime, sprayer, desuckering tool, plastic crates, and ammonium sulfate.
The banana production project, integrated with layer chicken egg and upland rice production, is implemented under the SAAD Program in the province for FY 2018.
Not just plantlets, but also knowledge
With the initiative of Siayan MAO, farmers didn’t only receive inputs. They also gained knowledge from the Banana Production Training programs that the office conducted.
The Siayan MAO office also provided a policy agreement between the office and the SAAD partner-farmers for a better implementation of the mentioned SAAD projects. ###
Writer: Jhomai Canlas, SAAD PR and Communications Officer
