ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, May 19, 2021 – Forty farmers from Siayan received 4,000 banana plantlets and inputs worth Php 1,163,020 from the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program.
Three farmers’ cooperatives, the Gonayen Consumers Cooperative (10 members), Polayo Consumers Cooperative (10 members), and Guibo Consumers Cooperative (20 members) are recipients of the Banana (Lakatan) Production Project.
The Gonayen and Polayo Consumers Cooperative got 1,000 banana plantlets each, while the Guibo Consumers Cooperative received 2,000 plantlets. A 1,000 plantlets are to cover 1 hectare (ha) area.
The package also includes 90 bags of complete fertilizers, 180 packs of foliar fertilizer, 60 bags of muriate of potash, 45 bags of urea, and 450 bags of vermicast to be utilized in the 4ha banana project.According to DA-SAAD Provincial Coordinator Ronillo Dusaban, the farmers were also provided with technical training on banana production to ensure that they are equipped with knowledge to care for the project.
“SAAD provides the needed farm inputs including the guidance and mentorship in preparation, from planting to harvesting and even in market support until the products reach the consumers,” said Dusaban during the distribution activity.
“Many farmers succeed in banana farming and SAAD looks forward to the success of this project. We hope that you continue to work hard and remember that there is a government that sees you and prioritizes you,” he added.
Among those who served as resource speakers and training specialists during the technical training were Agriculture Technician Ronilo Sambang and Municipal Agriculturist Edu Velasco.
SAAD aims to help starting farmers with their agricultural produce and contribute to the industry. Through the small plantlets, they hope to help alleviate the lives of those in the cooperative and to guide the management of banana farming in the town. ###
Writer: Aimee Lou D. Madjus, Informations Officer- DA-SAAD Zamboanga del Norte
Copy-editor: Andrea Ragot/ Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Comms Officer- SAAD NPMO
