DAVAO DE ORO, October 14, 2021 – Four farmers’ associations (FA) in Laak, Davao de Oro received 540 mallard ducks worth Php 646,427.72 from the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program to potentially start balut production.

Of the 540 birds, 432 were female while the rest were drakes. Each duck weighed at least 800 grams, aged 3-4 months old, and checked for avian influenza.

Alongside poultry, the Aguinaldo Farmers Association, Kiokmay Farmers Association, Concepcion Alternative Learners Livelihood Organization, and Kidawa-Sta. Emelia Farmers Irrigators Association, Inc. were also provided with feeds and biologics such as multivitamins, dewormer, and antibiotics.

The interventions provided are part of the DA-SAAD’s mallard production project which will benefit 43 FAs across all 11 municipalities of Davao de Oro. It was aimed to complement one of SAAD Region 11’s three main projects in 2021 — banana (lakatan) production project.

For the entirety of the project, the program allocated a little more than Php 6.9 million.

“Dako kaayo amoang pasalamat sa mga gipanghatag sa SAAD sa amoa. Ikaduha na ni. Wa jud mapakyas,” Fernando Mamolo Sr., chairperson of Aguinaldo Farmers Association said.

(Big thanks to the interventions given by SAAD to us. This is the second time around. You do not fail at all.)

The FA was also a SAAD beneficiary of the upgraded goat production project in 2020. It received 40 upgraded goats and an animal house.

The association decided to build the mallard ducks’ pen a few meters away from where the goat house stood.

Dominador Clarion of Concepcion Alternative Learners Livelihood Organization echoed Mr. Mamolo’s statement.

“Salamat kaayo sa tanang programa sa SAAD. Kami sa tibuok organisasyon kamao nga dako kaayo ni nga tabang.”

(Thank you to all the programs by SAAD. We, the whole of the organization, know that this is a big help.)

SAAD Provincial Coordinator Jake Darren Colina reiterated the program’s mandate to the four FAs. He said, “Maghinaot mi nga dili ni ninyo pakyason ang programa, kay ang tumong ani, muubos ang kawad-on ug mudugang sa atoang panginabuhian.”

(We hope that the project won’t be a failure, because the aim of this is to reduce poverty and add supplementary income.)

In the next four weeks, more than 30 FAs are set to receive the same interventions.

Since Laak is an ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) area and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), the 60th Infantry Battalion Charlie Company led by Staff Sergeant Arthur Villones facilitated the distribution. ###

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