SURIGAO DEL SUR, July 8­-9, 2020 – To expand the goat production in Surigao del Sur, the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Region 13 implemented a Php 4.5 million project under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program for FY 2020.

Fifty-five (55) goats worth Php 484,000 were distributed to five associations in the municipalities of Bayabas, Lingig, and Bislig City. The said associations were identified as among the people in areas with the highest poverty incidence in the region, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2015).

Each of the five associations, which members are mostly Manobos, received 10 does and 1 buck. They are the Riverside Panaosawon Farmers’ Association (20 members), and the P-7 Panaosawon Farmers’ Association (20 members) in Bayabas; the Pinanapatan Farmers’ Association (20 members), and the North Mecaopee Farmers’ Association (20 members) in Lingig; and the Goat Raisers’ Association of Mabog (20 members) in Bislig City.

Other supplementary materials and facilities will be delivered this year. These include pasture grasses, drugs and biologics, goat housing, perimeter fence, vegetable seeds, water hose, bolo, hybrid yellow corn, complete fertilizer, among others.

In 2019, the associations initially received interventions with a total cost of Php 3,044,271.48 for the same project. This included the same number of goats (10 does and 1 buck) per association. Some of the goats gave birth and are now raising their kids except for the Riverside Panaosawon Farmers’ Association, which recorded two fatalities. Both Pinanapatan Farmers’ Association and Goat Raisers of Mabog have one kid while P-7 Panaosawon Farmers’ Association and North Mecaopee Farmers’ Association have 4 and 3 kids, respectively. With the additional goats, the associations hope to increase the number and become an enterprise.

The goat production projects are expected to start generating regular income by 2021. For this reason, DA-SAAD also included inputs such as vegetable seeds to the goat production projects so that each member of the association will be able to grow vegetables in their home lots for home consumption and additional income while they are looking after their goats.###

Writer: Mark Angelo C. Pineda, Information Officer – SAAD Caraga
Copy editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, Public Relations and Communications Officer – SAAD NPMO