SORSOGON PROVINCE, April 6, 2020 – As the Department of Agriculture (DA) rolls its Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita on Wheels in this province, more farmer-beneficiaries of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) are getting the fruits of their labor effortlessly.

“Binibili namin nang cash ang mga produkto ng SAAD farmers. Araw-araw, hindi bumababa sa Php 10,000 ang nabibili naming produkto sa bawat isa sa kanila,” said Dolores Ricafranca, SAAD focal person and Superintendent of Sorsogon Dairy Production and Technology Center (SDPTC).

In her report to DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla, Ms. Ricafranca cited that Php 243,955.50 worth of agricultural produce totaling to 2,063 kgs were bought from the SAAD farmers at farm gate prices from March 23 to April 2, 2020. Farm products included vegetables (pole sitao or string beans, pechay, kalabasa or squash, labanos or radish, gabi leaves or taro, upo or bottle gourd, ampalaya or bitter gourd, sili or chilli pepper, and pipino or cucumber); fruits (pakwan or watermelon); root crops (ube or yam, gabi tubers or taro); and legumes (mani or peanut).

Ryan Mendoza and the members of the Aroroy Juban Vegetable Growers earned Php 25,310 from the sales of their produce; Fe Guardian and the members of the Binanuahan Vegetable Growers of Juban town earned Php 12,292.50; Felisicimo Esquivas and the group of San Antonio, Casiguran farmers earned Php 72,302; and Gilda Martirez together with Casay/Escuala vegetable farmers collectively earned Php 134,051.00.

“Sila po yung mahihirap na mga magsasaka na tinutulungan ng DA upang mabenta at hindi mabulok ang kanilang ani at hindi masayang ang pinaghirapan nila,” Ms. Ricafranca said during an interview with the Philippine Information Agency provincial office.

“Every day pinupuntahan namin ang mga farmer-beneficiaries sa kanilang area. Sa ibang areas merong isang handler na nag-iipon ng produkto at siya yung kausap namin. Kahit malalayo ang sakahan ay pinupuntahan namin kahit isang farmer lang,” added Ms. Ricafranca.

The farm products bought from the farmers are being sold at the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita located at the SDPTC.

The buy and sell strategy is a great relief at this pandemic time as it solves farmers’ problem on access to market. They no longer spend on hauling and transport costs. At the same time, fresh and nutritious foods are made available and accessible to the consumers at affordable prices.

KADIWA which stands for “Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita” is a marketing strategy of the DA which directly connects the food producers to the consumers thereby lessening the cost of the products. ###

Writer: Lovella P. Guarin, DA Region 5 Information Officer

Photos by: Ghail Renegado, SAAD Sorsogon Area Coordinator