ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, March 25, 2021- The Department of Agriculture (DA) Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Region 9 completed the delivery of Php 9,661,823.20 worth of fertilizers to 52 groups in Zamboanga del Norte.
DA-SAAD Region 9 delivered 6,360 bags of inorganic fertilizers (complete, urea, muriate of potash, and ammonium phosphate) and 6,400 bags of organic fertilizer (vermicast) to the associations (FA) in 18 municipalities and two cities.
The fertilizers will support the production of corn with 257 hectares (ha), vegetables with approximately 18ha, rice with 76ha upland and 167ha lowland, coffee with 23ha, cassava with 50ha, banana with 4ha, and peanut with 33ha.Table 1. SAAD Region 9- Zamboanga del Norte Recipients of Fertilizers (FY 2021)
Some of the farmers were recipients since 2017 and it was proven that the projects helped improve their livelihood.
For instance, the Don Eleno FA from Sergio Osmeña which received the FY 2017 Vegetable Production Project earned Php 5,049 on March 18, 2021 (9th harvest) by selling 459 kilograms (kg) tomatoes at Php 11/kg to the local community and store owners. To date, their accumulated sales since their 1st harvest is Php 47,790.
Fourteen groups are new recipients of the program. New beneficiaries include the Titik Farmers Association in Leon Postigo, an End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) area with Indigenous People members, which received the Coffee Production Project (Arabica Coffee).
Another group is the San Nicolas Farmers Association which received the Cassava Production Project and will later engage in cassava processing.
The DA-SAAD Zamboanga del Norte commits to provide the most needed assistance to the poorest farmers in the province to fulfill the twin goals of DA which is Masaganang Ani at Mataas Na Kita and to continuously reduce the poverty in the country. ###
Writer: Aimee Lou D. Madjus, Information Officer- DA-SAAD Zamboanga del Norte
Copy-editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Comms Officer- SAAD NPMO
