JUBAN, SORSOGON, February 3, 2021 – Twenty-one women members of the Taboc Organic Farmers’ Association in Brgy. Taboc, Juban, Sorsogon developed their assorted vegetables and herb produce into herbal soaps.

As a value-adding project, the creative Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) women farmers up their agri-game by creating different variants of herbal soaps based on calamansi, carrot, akapulko, and malunggay using their own vegetable harvests and fruit extracts.

Julie Glumar, chairperson of the said association in Brgy. Taboc, Juban, Sorsogon, is thankful for the assistance of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – SAAD Program.

“Maraming naitulong sa amin ang SAAD. Yung mga pananim at tools na binibigay nila na naging umpisa ng aming herbal soap production at pinagkukunan ng aming araw-araw na pagkain.  Hanggang ngayon ay nabibigyan pa rin kami ng mga inputs,” said Ms. Glumar.

Ms. Glumar recalled their beginnings back in 2017, after undergoing a series of training conducted by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) on soap making, liniment making, ointment, and turmeric processing. The organization started creating herbal soaps but suspended their production in the same year due to lack of equipment.

However, the members regrouped and were officially organized by SAAD in September 2018 and registered with the Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Trade Industry in 2019.

Ms. Glumar said that they established a communal garden with an area of 300 square meters, which is the source of ingredients in making herbal soaps as well as a source of daily food consumption for the members.

During the pandemic, the group struggled with food access and market for their herbal soap. “Ang SAAD ang nagbigay inspirasyon sa amin para mas naging masipag kami sa pagtatanim, hindi kagaya dati na nasa bahay lang,” shares Julie with hopes for their livelihood project to become more successful this year. She said that they are now selling herbal soaps that weigh 30 grams each for Php 25 to their neighborhood and friends. She said that they earn Php 2,000/month.

To enhance their production, they will be needing items such as juicer, molder, soap cutter, casserole, and mixing bowl for the herbal soap and liniment making which they hope to be provided by the SAAD Program.

With SAAD interventions, Julie and the Taboc Organic Farmers’ Association members expressed their gratitude to the SAAD Program and its partners for the projects and training implemented in support of the Juban farmers for the past three years. ###

Writer: Pauline Trixia Borja, SAAD Sorsogon Information Officer

Editor: Love Guarin, RAFIS 5

Photo Source: DA-SAAD RPMSO 5