ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, September 28, 2020- Amid the growing number of CoViD-19 cases in the province, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Region 9 delivered 240 bags of feeds to municipalities of Sibutad, Rizal, and Mutia in support to the Layer Chicken with Fabricated Cage Project of FY 2019.

In the Municipality of Mutia, Newland Women’s Association (25 members), Diland Women’s Association (25 members), Buenaswerte Womens Association (28 members), and New Siquijor Women’s Association (32 members) each received 25 bags of feeds.

In Sibutad Municipality, six (6) groups each received 15 bags of feeds. The associations were Delapa Farmers’ Association (FA) (70 members), Sipaloc FA (51 members), Minlasag FarFish Association (35 members), Magsaysay Farfish Association (55 members), Poblacion FA (22 members), and Panganuran Farfish Association (32 members).

Also, the Tolda-II FA (20 members), East Poblacion FA (20 members) and Sebaca FA (20 members) of the Municipality of Rizal each received 30 bags of feeds.

The Tolda-II Farmers Association president Reno Mongcupa disclosed the marketing status of their livelihood. “When we started this project, we hesitated if we can sustain this because we find it difficult selling these eggs to the community. Thankfully, through the constant guidance and mentoring from the SAAD staff, we were able to disseminate the information that our association sells fresh eggs from the farm,” he said.

Reno also shared that currently, the market is no longer a problem because every harvest is already booked for their regular customers, such as bakeshops and small store owners. Even the transportation is not a problem because the customers themselves directly buy their produce from the farm.

Tolda II Farmers Association is already a farmer-partner of SAAD since 2017. To date, they are managing 14 modules of Chicken Layer with Fabricated Cage Project. They also gained Php 200,000.00 savings in their bank account from the livelihood activity.

The DA-SAAD continuously commits to provide assistance towards alleviating its farmers-partners’ quality of life. Despite the challenges and hurdles that everyone is facing, this initiative of SAAD fulfills its promise to its farmer-partners in reducing the poverty in the community. ###

Writer:                Aimee Lou Madjus, Information Officer- DA SAAD Region 9

Copy editor:      Natalianne Marie Delos Reyes, PR & Comms Officer- SAAD NMPO