DAVAO DE ORO, July 6, 2021 – Fourteen (14) farmers’ associations (FAs) with 1,389 members from 9 municipalities of Davao de Oro each received 240 upgraded chickens from the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Region 11’s upgraded native chicken production project on July 5.

Alongside the 240 upgraded chickens (210 pullets, 30 cockerels), the FAs were given 50 sacks of feeds (16-16-18 tranching) and various biologics (multivitamins, antibiotics, and dewormer). They are also set to receive 30 pieces of hanging-type waterer by August this year. In total, the project costs a little more than Php 3.3 million.

“Ang tumong sa SAAD, simple lang kaayo—muubos ang kawad-on, mutaas ang income [The purpose of SAAD is very simple—lower poverty, increase income],” Jake Darren Colina, Provincial Coordinator for SAAD Region 11, said.

SAAD Region 11 Focal Person Naomi Lamata added, “Ang SAAD program para sa GIDA ug ELCAC areas. Tumong ug tinguha sa programa nga madugangan ang panginabuhian sa atoang mag-uuma niining mga dapita” [The SAAD program is for GIDA and ELCAC areas farmers The program’s goal and purpose is to augment our farmers’ livelihood in these areas.]

Upgraded native chicken production (UNCP) is one of SAAD Region 11’s identified projects based on felt needs assessment of beneficiaries. The UNCP, alongside five other animal- and crop-based production projects, was slated for this year’s beneficiaries across all municipalities in Davao de Oro. 

Upgraded native chickens are offspring from a native and breeder pairing. For this year’s implementation, the chickens are a mix of Dekalb Brown and Basilan breeds. Notable for its laying performance, Dekalb Brown produces marketable brown eggs.

Implementation

SAAD Region 11, alongside various municipal local government units, conducted capacity training weeks before the beneficiaries received the poultry and implements. The training was held on-site, with the program tapping relevant personnel from the Provincial Veterinary’s Office, Provincial Agriculturist Office, and respective Municipal Agricultural Offices.

“Dako kaayo amoang pasalamat kay dili jud ni mahitabo kung kami-kami lang (We’re grateful because this won’t be possible if not for everybody),” Rose Marie Aet, New Dalaguete Association of Women’s chairperson, enthused in her acceptance speech. 

The association solicited from the offices of Provincial Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, Vice Governor Maria Carmen Zamora, and Representative Manuel Zamora to build their chicken coop. 

Some associations chose individual beneficiaries from their members’ pool to receive the implements, with the remaining poultry in a communal area for the group to take care of. Five FAs have several communal areas, ranging from 2 to 5 chicken coops.

Jose Borja, chairperson for Lawaan Kingking Farmers Association, shared how hard it was to establish their association from the ground up amid the pandemic. As a rebel returnee for more than a decade, he said people were still wary of his agenda. 

“Mahadlok gihapon sila, kay basig kuno kung magpalista ko sa ilahang pangalan, mamahimong sakop sila sa mga rebeldeng grupo,” [People are still fearful, that when I go house to house to list their names for the association, they’ll be automatically part of rebel groups.]

“Pero gumikan sa atoang paningkamot, niabot na jud ang proyekto sa gobyerno. Naa na gyud ang saad para sa amoang mag-uuma. Ug dili lang kini, daghan pay muabutay,” he added victoriously.

(But because we persevered, the government’s project is here. The promise for us farmers has arrived. And this will not be all, there are still many to come.) 

Aside from the UNCP, Lawaan Kingking Farmers Association will receive banana and upgraded goat production projects this year.

All 14 FA recipients will be awarded additional crop- and animal-based projects from the program.Distribution

In a series of month-long distribution activities, SAAD Region 11 fast-tracked the project’s completion to prepare for other livelihood interventions slated for 2021. 

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Marila Corpuz attended the distribution in Tagbaros, encouraging Tagbaros Integrated Farmers Association’s younger members to invest in agriculture. 

“Kita ang musunod. Kita man ang mag-amuma sa mga uma sa atoang ginikanan. Mao nang si Department of Agriculture naay grant nga ginahatag para makasugod mo sa inyohang capital.”

(We are next. We are the ones to till the lands of our parents. That’s why the Department of Agriculture gives grants so that you can start.)

“Ang gusto namo ani sustainability. So akoang challenge sa inyoha, bisan dili kabatanonan, naay gihatag si DA nga hinabang. Makasugod jud mo para mahimo ni nga negosyo [What we want is sustainability. So my challenge is, even for those who are not youth, DA gives grants. You can start there to turn it into an enterprise],” she added.

Maco Municipal Mayor Alvera Veronica Rimando attended both distributions in barangays Tagbaros and New Barili, while Compostela Municipal Mayor Lema Bolo made an appearance in barangay Tamia. On the other hand, Mawab Municipal Mayor Ruperto Gonzaga III attended barangay Nuevo Iloco’s distribution.

Mayor Bolo challenged Tamia Upland Farmers Association members to make the project successful. “Bulahan jud ang taga-Tamia kay naa perme ang taga-SAAD nga manghatag ug proyekto. Nindot jud kaayo ni nga proyekto kay…dole out na jud ni sa atoa. Kung makita sa programa nga nindot inyohang pagdala, dugangan pa jud na siya.” 

(Tamia residents are so lucky because the SAAD program always gives the community projects. And this one is particularly great because…it’s doled out. When the program sees that the implementation is handled well, they’ll add more (projects).

Compostela Municipal Vice Mayor Levi Ebdao reiterated Mayor Bolo’s point, saying, “Hinaut, kani nga proyekto mulungtad ug makatabang sa atoa. I hope i-sustain ni ninyo…kay kami naa lang perme diri nga mutabang ninyo (I hope that this project will prosper and will help us. I hope that you will sustain it…we are always here to help you).”

Meanwhile, Mayor Gonzaga underlined the importance of taking care of the poultry to help in the beneficiaries’ daily needs. “Padak-a ni ninyo. Atimana ninyo. Kay mubalos ni ninyo. Kung naa muy problema bayranan sa eskwelahan, kuha lang isa sa kulungan, ibaligya, kwarta na [Grow the poultry. Take care of it. If you happen to have problems like school fees, you can readily get one chicken from the coop, sell it, then it becomes money.]

He also announced support to the association, promising to give feeds through the Municipal Agriculturist Office (MAO) once the association runs out.Plans for Enterprise Development 

SAAD Region 11 designed UNCP as a springboard for the FAs’ enterprising efforts. The pullets were weeks away from laying, with some like in New Dalaguete already producing eggs after distribution.

“Gina-challenge namo ang asosasyon nga sa sunod diri na jud ta sa Compostela makakuha ug manok. Kay ang atong mga manok, maggikan pa jud ug Montevista (We challenge the association that in the future, we’ll get our chicken here in our municipality. Because most of the chicken we consume comes from the neighboring municipality of Montevista),” Compostela Municipal Agriculturist Gina Lyn Musong urged. 

“Kani atoang upgraded native chicken, atoa ning angkonon. Tabangan nato ni. Kay sa sunod, pwede na nato ma-market ang barangay Tagbaros nga naga-produce ug native chicken. (Let’s take ownership of our upgraded native chicken. Let’s help each other. In the future, we can market barangay Tagbaros as a native chicken producer),” Maco Mayor Alvera Rimando motivated Tagbaros Integrated Farmers Association members. 

“Dili lang ta kutob sa pagkaon. Ato ning palamboon kay kani pwede kaayo nato himoon nga negosyo” [Let’s not dwell on food production. Let’s develop this because we can turn it into a business.]

Aside from egg production, the distributed poultry are also prime for meat production. As of writing, liveweight prices for native chicken in Davao de Oro can reach as high as Php 200/kilogram. 

Additionally, week-old upgraded native chicks fetch steep prices when sold to poultry farms. ###

Writer: James Brian R. Flaga, SAAD RPMSO 11 Information Officer
Source: DA-SAAD Davao de Oro