APAYAO, August 26, 2021 – Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program initially delivered 4,950 female free-range chickens to 110 farmers of the Sta. Maria, Allig, Malayugan, Mallig, Balluyan (SAMMBA) Farmers Association (FA) in Flora, Apayao on August 23.

The inputs provided are part of SAAD’s Free-range Chicken Egg Production Project funded in FY 2021 amounting to Php 4,346,500. The project is composed of 5,500 free-range chickens and supplementary poultry inputs.

Each SAMMBA FA member received at least 45 stocks with four bags of layer mash.

After consultations with the community done by the Municipal Planning Management Team (MPMT), poultry production for beginning chicken raisers was pushed forward due to low maintenance requirements compared to swine production.

The group will still receive 550 male free-range chickens, 110 sachets of anti-infectives with vitamins, 220 waterers, 1,100 egg trays, four weighing scales, 110 poultry nets, and 6 egg scales as soon as the quarantine measures against CoViD-19 have been lifted.

One of the members, Elvira D. Acebedo, shared her gratitude and their plans as a group.

Elvira shared, “Agyaman kami iti SAAD Program. Iti plano mi kadetuy nga proyekto ket agpaado iti itlog kin agpapisa, ta kayat min to nga tun madanun ket agbalin kami nga supplier dituy entero a barangay mi dituy Flora.”

[Thank you SAAD Program. Our plan as an association is to produce more eggs and poultry stocks so that in the near future, we can become a supplier in our community.]

SAAD Community Development Officer Darwin Ordonia believes the project is important for the livelihood of many families as beneficiaries may soon help in the local production of eggs and chicken in their area.

“Detuy nga production ket nasyaat nga pagkakitaan iti farmers tayu dituy Flora ta instead nga agimport pelang, why not nga dagituy local farmers nalang ito agbalin nga provider. Maikkan da chance nga makatulong iti demand iti kaka-ili’an da habang isuda met ket adda iti opurtunidad nga adda pang-kabuhayan da,” said Darwin.

[This chicken and egg production is a good start for farmers in the Municipality of Flora. Because instead of patronizing supplied staple products such as eggs and chicken meat, why not give chance to our local farmers to become providers? Through this, I must say that our local farmers will have the opportunity to help meet the demand of their markets, alongside the opportunity to earn.]

Ordonia also added raising poultry stock requires low-cost production and yields a high-income return.

“Backyard poultry production ket talaga nga sikat idtuy Apayao ta idi contribution na ket dakel nu panggep iti kinabi-biyag iti small farmers idtuy bar-bario mi,” he said.

[Backyard poultry production is popular in Apayao because of its significant contribution to the livelihood of smallholder rural raisers.]

Flora local government unit (LGU) through SAAD Municipal Focal Person Gladys Lamug assisted during the distribution of interventions.

Since the members are new to chicken raising, SAAD field implementers in cooperation with the LGU will conduct project monitoring and render assistance to ensure that the poultry stocks are provided with supplements, vitamins, wound spray, and dewormer to keep the animals healthy and guarded against any diseases. ###

 

Writer: Kathleen Faye B. Agonoy, Information Officer, SAAD Apayao