CORDILLERA, April 1-16, 2020 – The implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) did not hinder the fishers in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to harvest their tilapia from the Aquaculture Project, provided by the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Sixty-four (64) SAAD fishers in the two provinces of the region produced 5.09 metric tons (MT) tilapia from their aquaculture farming.

Harvest from Kalinga

From pond culture technology, 34 SAAD fishers from Kalinga recorded a total harvest of 3.47 MT in April after four to seven months of growing period. Harvested fishes were sold at Php 120-130/kg.

Mr. Isabelo Dawaton, one of the project recipients, was able to harvest 190 kgs of tilapia from his 200 square meters’ area. He received a one-unit pond culture package composed of 1,000 fingerlings and 10 bags of feeds worth Php 10,000 from BFAR-SAAD in December 2019.

In total, SAAD fishers in the province earned Php 433,000. The tilapia was marketed within the municipality to help the citizens easily access fresh fish amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harvest from Mountain Province

30 SAAD fishers in Mountain Province harvested a total of 1.162 MT tilapia. The fisherfolks are beneficiaries of the Rice-Fish Culture Project.

Each beneficiary received 1,000 tilapia fingerlings worth Php 10,000 in October 2019. Rice-fish culture is an integrated farming for the two commodities, simultaneously grown in one area.

The harvest and marketing of their produce is based on the demand of consumers in their respective barangays, which were freshly sold at a price of Php 150/kg. The fisherfolks earned a total of Php 174,000.

To avoid simultaneous harvesting, the fisherfolks set a scheduling scheme for easy marketing of their produce.

This may not be their main livelihood, but according to SAAD beneficiary Ms. Cynthia Mava-ew, the project really helped her in this trying time. Her neighbors are even asking her for the next harvest as she was noted as a good source of fresh fish supply in her barangay.

For their second cropping, BFAR-SAAD will provide the same package of interventions. ###

Writer: Rodelyn Foronda, BFAR CAR, Community Development Officer I

Editor: Jennifer Valcobero, SAAD NPMO Public Relations and Communications Officer