DAVAO DE ORO, October 1, 2021 – Thirty-three fishers from Maragusan cultivated a total of 2,405 square meters’ pond area after receiving 8,800 pieces’ tilapia fingerlings, agricultural inputs, and postharvest supplies worth Php 96,907.80 on September 10.
The beneficiaries composed of 6 fishers from Tigbao and 27 members of Mandaupan Farmers Association are recipients of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program’s FY 2021 Tilapia Grow-out Culture in Freshwater Fishpond.
SAAD in Davao de Oro is the first DA program implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Maragusan.
Prior to the distribution, the fishers were provided with hands-on management training of the project from August 19 to 20.
The beneficiaries acquired knowledge on successful tilapia production such as the computation of stocking density per pond size as well as feed conversion ratio. They also learned entrepreneurial skills for easy marketing of their produce.
The step-by-step process in fishpond preparation was also demonstrated using lime, salt as disinfectant, tea seed powder for poisoning, and organic or inorganic fertilizer for soil fertility.
The project, which is anticipated to help in food security, can also be the beneficiaries’ source of income.
The fishers expect to harvest their tilapia in January 2022, after the four months’ culture period.
In its fourth year now, the program focused on inland and End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) areas and allocated a total budget of Php 2.5 million for the tilapia grow-culture project in 7 covered municipalities. ###
Writer: Danica May H. Silva, PFO Davao de Oro Staff
