OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, August 5, 2021 – Four Ratagnon-Mangyan farmers’ associations (FAs) from Magsaysay received equipment from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program to help modernize crop postharvest activities of Occidental Mindoro farmers.
In total, 174 farmers from Magsaysay will benefit from the equipment, which were awarded at the Magsaysay Municipal Grounds through the Municipal Agriculture Office and local government unit on August 3.
The Calachuchi Alibog Corn Farmers Association (CACFA) with 43 members and Samahang Ratagnon ng Sitio Bamban (SRSB) with 60 members each received a collapsible dryer and a hermetic storage cocoon with 1 metric ton (mt) capacity for their corn production.
Meanwhile, the Calachuchi Indigenous Farmers Association (CIFA) with 22 members engaged in cassava production received two hermetic storage cocoons with 5mt capacity and another two with 1mt capacity.
Forty-nine (49) upland rice farmers of Talayob Mangyan Farmers Association (TaMa FA) were also awarded five collapsible dryers and five hermetic storage cocoons with 1mt capacity.
The interventions, which cost Php 872,516, aims to aid the farmers for their postharvest production for corn, cassava, and rice.
The equipment will provide safe storage for the farmers’ dried products as well as maintain their quality.
TaMaFa chairperson Louie Lingas expressed his gratitude on behalf of their community, “Maraming salamat po sa ibinigay ng SAAD sa amin. Malaking bagay ito para makaimbak kami ng aming mga produkto,” he said.
Representatives from the four associations attended the awarding as participants were limited due to health restrictions and difficult traveling conditions from their residence to the awarding site. Some members of the TaMa FA had to travel on carabaos because of the knee-deep muddy roads in their area.
CACFA and SRSB previously received corn production inputs (OPV white corn seeds, corn planter, and asian hybrid); TaMaFA was awarded farm implements and traditional rice seeds; and CIFA got farm implements and cassava production packages from SAAD in 2020. ###
Writer: Dianne Francis A. Sy, SAAD Information Officer I
Source: Vilmar J. Robes, SAAD Area Coordinator – Magsaysay
