APAYAO, PHILIPPINES—The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural (DA-SAAD) Program conducted a four (4)-day training on Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) Production in Barangay Tubongan, Calanasan, Apayao on 20-23 November 2018.

The said project, worth 1 Million Pesos, is funded by the DA-SAAD Program. Three (3) SALT sites are Sitio Magday (2 hectares), Sitio Bassin (1 has.), and Sitio Barad (1 ha.).

The activity is facilitated by Area Coordinator (AC) Ms. Marilou Marjalino, with Resource Speaker Ms. Jovelyn Jereos. They are also assisted by SAAD Apayao Information Technologist (IT) Ms. Le Ann Aguirre, and Brgy. Captain Mr. Romeo Ruping. Namaltugan, Tubongan, Butao, Kabugawan (NaTuBuKa) Cluster Head Ms. Aida Batil was also present, along with Tubongan Farmers’ Association Vice President Mr. Arsenio Paus, who attended on behalf of their President Mr. Felicito Gawayen.

Though the DA-SAAD SALT project in Calanasan only has seventy (70) beneficiaries, there were ninety-five (95) interested locals who were able to attended the orientation, discussion and open forum done on the first day of the training. On the next day, the SALT farmer-partners received the planting materials.

As part of the workshop on the following day, the farmer-partners went to the production site for the actual demonstration, which was a river and mountain away, being the second farthest barangay of Calanasan, Apayao. Jereos discussed about the uses of A Frame and T Frame while Engr.  Benedicto Tiggangay taught the attendees a simple technique on how to measure the length of A Frame and T Frame without aid of any measuring apparatus.

After the instructions were given, the participants began to prepare their A & T Frames, used to measure the distances in planting fruit trees. They were guided by Agricultural Technicians (ATs) Mr. Dan Ruel Peralta, Mr. Jaysan Banggay, Mr. Mark Dondon Budod, and Mr. Jhon-Jhon Taccalan.

The attendees, after being trained well, planted the farm inputs using the apparatus the have made during the fourth and last day of training. ###

Writer: Le Anne Aguirre, SAAD Apayao Information Technologist (IT)

Copy-Editor: Ela Arciaga, SAAD NPMO PR & Communications Officer