Sultan Kudarat, May 19 – 20, 2020 — Mindanao is known with excellent quality and high antioxidant properties of their traditional upland rice varieties. Given this trademark, the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Region 12 distributed 600 sacks of upland rice seeds amounting Php 1.8 million to beneficiaries of identified barangays and municipalities. 

The seeds are part of the Upland Rice Production Projects for FY 2019, which were granted to 300 farmers of Langgal and Sewod, Senator Ninoy Aquino (120 beneficiaries); Kalibuhan, Palimbang (120 beneficiaries); and Sumilil, Bagumbayan (60 beneficiaries).

Each recipient received two sacks of upland rice seeds worth Php 6,000. The seeds provided are intended to cover 300 hectares of upland farms.

In December 2019, SAAD Sultan Kudarat also provided 600 sacks of urea, 600 sacks of complete fertilizer, and a technical training amounting to Php 1,320,000, to all farmer-beneficiaries of the said project. Each farmer received two sacks of urea and two sacks of complete fertilizer, which cost Php 4,400. 

The distribution done by the SAAD Region 12 team is in cooperation with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Municipal Agriculture Offices, and provincial, municipal, and barangay Local Government Units.

During the distribution ceremony, Barangay Captain Abdilah Yusuf said, “Tayo po ay mapalad dito sa barangay Kalibuhan dahil nakarating ang proyekto ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng DA-SAAD. Mapalad tayu kasi pwede na nating ma-iangat ang ating kabuhayan, especially yung mga poorest of the poor natin na mga magsasaka. Tuloy tuloy lang po ang tulong na binibigay ng ating DA–SAAD.  Kami po sa Barangay Kalibuhan together with the Barangay Officials, Purok Leaders, Sitio Leaders ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa tulong ng SAAD. Maraming salamat po.”

Furthermore, SAAD farmers-beneficiary Ms. Juliet S. Lapi shared, “Magandang umaga po sa ating lahat, Ako ay napapasamalat sa DA-SAAD kasi tao puso silang tumulong sa atin. Nakita nila sa atin dito sa bukid na tayo’y naghihirap. At tama ang sabi ni Kapitan, bakit? Kasi yang tulong na bigay nila sa atin, ni piso, wala tayong binigay. Kaya mga kapatid ko, kaibigan, at mga katutubo ko, itanim po natin at ipakita natin na kaya nating ingatan ang proyekto na binigay sa atin. Ilaban natin na kaya natin tulungan ang sarili natin para sa ating mga anak at pamilya.”

All farmer-beneficiaries showed their gratitude to the SAAD Program and to the government. They said it is the perfect time to plant the seeds. ###

Writer: Jemiema Arro, SAAD Public Relations and Communications Officer