DAVAO DE ORO, February 17, 2022 – Forty (41) youth members of the Barangay Upper Ulip Tribal Youth Association (BUTYA) belonging to the Mandaya Tribe in Monkayo, Davao de Oro reported revenue of Php 89,654 after selling 577.36 kilograms (kg) of tilapia, harvested from their two fishcages.

Through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the group was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program’s FY 2021 Tilapia Grow-Out Culture in Freshwater Fishcage Project (Php 212,187).

Included in the project package received by the group are 2 units of 200 cubic meters fixed-type cage, 10,000 tilapia fingerlings (for first and second cycle), 77 bags of feeds, 1 banyera, 2 units of styrofoam, 1 unit of digital weighing scale, 1 unit of heavy-duty weighing scale, and 1 set of sampling paraphernalia.

Prior to the distribution, the members were already equipped with knowledge on tilapia grow-out culture and management in freshwater fishcage.

Tilapia Grow-Out Culture in Freshwater Fishcage Project Implementation

For the first fishcage, the first stocking of 2,500 fingerlings was done on July 29, 2021. After five months, the group harvested 342.36kg (2,205 pieces) and earned Php 56,754 after marketing it at Php 150-160/kg (Table 1).

For the second fishcage, 2,500 fingerlings were also stocked on August 16, 2021. After almost 6 months, tilapia harvested was 235kg and sold at Php 150/kg. For this, the group earned Php 32,900 (Table 1).Table 1. BUTYA income from tilapia grow-out culture

*Note: Tilapia culture was extended to five months instead of just three months due to cold weather resulting in fish appetite loss The income from the first cropping was saved by the group for the third cropping expenses since they will no longer receive inputs from the program.

Also, 116kg from their tilapia harvest were shared by the members for food consumption.

For the second cropping cycle, the group simultaneously stocked each cage with 2,500 tilapia fingerlings on January 4 and February 15, 2022. The fish will be harvested after three-five months’ culture when it weighs the marketable size (100-200 grams).

BUTYA Chairperson Euleterio Buchan Jr. shared that they are lucky to be chosen as a beneficiary of the program.

“Para nako ang SAAD Program dako kayo kog pasalamat tungog kay sa kadaghan-daghan sa barangay na sakop sa monkayo, kami ang napili na inyohang hatagan sa project. Salamat kayo sa BFAR-SAAD, unta naa pay laing project and muabot. Ug nakatabang siya nako, dili lang sa ako as individual kundi sa among grupo isip usa ka IP Youth. Nakabalo mi sa pamaagi sa pag atiman sa tilapia ug pamaligya,” said Mr. Buchan Jr.

(I am thankful for the SAAD Program because we were chosen as one of the beneficiaries here in our barangay, to think that Monkayo has many barangays. Thank you BFAR-SAAD, we hope there will be more projects that will help the IP youth members. We already have the knowledge on proper tilapia management.)

Writers:
Danica May Silva, Davao de Oro Area Coordinator
Jennifer A. Valcobero, SAAD NPMO Public Relation and Communications Officer