ANTIQUE, November14, 2021 – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) National Director Myer Mula met Valderrama, Antique farmer leaders, inspiring them to build sustainable projects after monitoring three projects in Antique on November 10.

Valderrama, Antique is one of the Department of Agriculture (DA) SAAD recipients, currently having 20 farmer groups with 768 farmer members.

According to DA Western Visayas (WV) Regional SAAD Focal Person Dominador Marquez, the municipality has received P17 million worth of agricultural interventions in 2021. By 2022, there shall be a Php 13 million budget for additional projects identified by organized farmer groups.

Takas Ibangga-an-Tangke Irrigators’ Association is one of the SAAD beneficiaries for Corn Production with a total project budget of P1.3 million. This project was in the form of a grant, and farmers shall return a portion of their income to sustain the association’s revolving fund. The farmer-beneficiaries are looking forward to a higher yield of their hybrid corn this December.

Director Mula also visited the Chicken Layer Egg Production Project of Canipayan Irrigators’ Association (CIA). This project started last June was able to assist 37 active farmer members. He said 48 heads of ready-to-lay-pullets and other materials amounting to P253, 946.00 were granted to the association.

“Work seriously with your bookkeeping and daily monitoring records and study on how you can incubate eggs to replace your old stocks. You can sell chicken meat later on. Always envision how you can make it sustainable, laban lang tayo!” said Dir. Mula.

CIA is one of the four farmers’ associations in the municipality that ventured into egg layers production. DA-WV SAAD reported a combined income of P48,117 in September, two months after installing the projects. They collect 50 to 60 eggs daily; they classify small and medium sizes, sold at P150 to P200 per tray.

Mula appreciated the bounty harvest of Tigmamale Valderrama Irrigators’ Association, Inc. of their organic eggplant. Last November 2020, a grant of Php 348,460 for seeds and gardening tools was materialized. Another allocation of Php 730,800 budget was provided last May 2021 for the 67 active members of the association. He shared some scientific inputs to farmer leaders on maintaining good soil moisture and some ideal seed management techniques to sustain their good harvest.

Joined by Antique APCO Sonie Guanco and DA-WV SAAD Regional Focal Person Dominador Marquez, Director also made a courtesy visit to Municipal Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero.

“Look into establishing multiplier farms to address the needs of the farmers. LGU support is very crucial in strengthening sustainable association”, Mula added.

The municipality has purchased a three-hectare land. They now propose putting up a multiplier farm and installing other agricultural-rated projects to support their farmers. ###

Writer: M.C. Buala/ RAFIS -6.