BUTUAN CITY, March 22, 2021- Essential for their agri-entrepreneurial activities, the Department of Agriculture- Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program provided training on marketing to 29 farmers’ groups in Caraga.

Attended by 58 representatives, the “Farmers’ Training on Market Identification” was held in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur on March 15 and in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur on March 22.

Supervising Agriculturist Isabelita L. Ocampo and Senior Agriculturist Rey U. Frias of the DA- Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (DA-AMAD) in Caraga served as resource speakers for the two-part training.

The speakers discussed the development of a marketing plan and profiling target markets. The farmers were also taught how to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to formulate strategies in their farming operations and enterprise development.

The 10 groups (20 participants) from the municipalities of San Luis, Talacogon, Veruela, and Rosario in Agusan del Sur are engaging in crop farming, such as rice, abaca, and cacao production.

Meanwhile, 19 groups (38 participants) from municipalities Lingig, Bayabas, Carmen, and the City of Bislig in Surigao del Sur are investing in upgraded native chicken and goat production.

The DA-SAAD  has funded various agricultural livelihood projects worth Php 31.8 million in 2019, Php 34 million in 2020, and Php 33.8 million to 32 groups within Caraga belonging in areas with high poverty incidence.

As a complement to its goals and directives, SAAD Caraga allotted Php 1.6 million for capability-building activities in 2021, including training on financial and enterprise management. ###

Writer: Mark Angelo Pineda, Information Officer- DA-SAAD Caraga