LANAO DEL NORTE, July 20, 2020 – The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Matungao, through its Municipal Agricultural Services Office (MASO), conducted a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the establishment of its 2.5-hectare demonstration farm for crops funded by the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program for FY 2019.

The demo-farm project worth Php 1.5 million is part of the Php 7.4M agri-livelihood interventions for the LGU, which will benefit not less than 100 individual SAAD farmer-beneficiaries.

With the establishment of the demo-farm, the LGU aims to increase the town’s food production, ensure food availability and sufficiency for its populace, and equip the farmers with organic farming know-hows as means to grow their household earnings.

Mayor Aisha M. Azis vowed to ensure viability and sustainability of the SAAD project as it is anticipated to be fully established as the first agricultural demo-farm in the town in August 2020.

“As the recipient of the SAAD program, the LGU of Matungao through our MASO has outlined sustainability plan for this project. This includes continuous training of the recipients, constant monitoring and evaluation of the projects, and most importantly unrelenting support from the local government,” Mayor Azis remarked.

The demo-farm will be utilized to boost the production of staple crops such as sweet corn and organic vegetables like pechay, curly green lettuce, upland kangkong, tomato, string beans, Baguio beans, cucumber, eggplant, okra, ampalaya, and squash.

According to Mrs. Norjanah C. Tando, SAAD Focal Person in the town, the project enables the LGU to optimally utilize the vast and fertile agricultural land in Matungao.

“With this project our end goal is to alleviate poverty incidence among our SAAD beneficiaries. We will capacitate our farmers by equipping them relevant agricultural technologies, enabling them to develop agri-entrepreneurial skills. Also, this project will be instrumental to keep our land healthy by advocating organic farming in the town,” Mrs. Tando averred.

Under the SAAD program, the LGU of Matungao is set to receive other livelihood assistance in 2020, such as two hand tractors, 768 ready-to-lay (RTL) chickens, and layer feeds.

Writer: Azbie Talib, RPMSO 10, Information Officer