DAVAO DE ORO, June 22, 2022 – Twenty (20) Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) farmers from Maco received 50 upgraded goats, biologics, and assorted vegetable seeds worth Php 470,000 from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Region 11. This package is under the Php 7.7 million Upgraded Goat Production Project of FY 2022 for new beneficiaries from the program’s existing covered municipalities in Davao de Oro.

The Manipongol Integrated Farmers Association, a locally organized group of farmers in Manipongol, Maco, was confirmed to receive livelihood interventions from the program in 2022. Manipongol is an isolated, upland barangay 12 kilometers away from the municipality’s center. It boasts of an overlooking view of Davao Gulf, popular to bikers for terrain training.

“Salamat kaayo sa pagdawat ninyo aning atoang proyekto. Kami nanghinaot nga inyo ning palamboon para sa inyoha pong paglambo” (We are thankful that you received this project. We hope that you’ll sustain this for your [community’s] development), said Ms. Naomi C. Lamata, SAAD Focal Person for Region 11.

“Ug dili lang kani inyohang madawat, kay naa pay mais nga muabotay” (This is not the only intervention you’ll received, corn seeds are on the way too), she added, pertaining to SAAD Region 11’s corn production project which the FA was identified to receive as well.

Upgraded Goats

The FA, given 50 upgraded goats (45 does, 5 bucks) with biologics consisting of dewormer, antibiotics, and multivitamins, placed the ruminants in a temporary, makeshift pen before distribution to members for caretaking.

At 8-10 months old and at least 17 kilograms (kg), SAAD 11’s upgraded goats were offspring from a Native and either an Anglo-Nubian or Boer pairing. The goats were ear-tagged for identification and inventory, dewormed, and laboratory tested for Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) as well as Brucella.

SAAD Region 11 identified upgraded goats as a viable intervention for GIDA and End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) areas because of the small ruminant’s hardiness and liveweight selling potential. In Davao de Oro, goats are usually sold by liveweight, and upgraded ones fetch higher prices at Php 3,500 for a 15kg doe.

A pivotal factor considered was Davao de Oro’s abundant grazing area in its hilly and mountainous parts. Upgraded goats can reproduce twice a year, and in just a few months after distribution, farmers can start to sell the ruminants.

“Salamat jud sa SAAD kay nituman sila sa ilahang giingon. Maapod na jud ni sa tanang miembro, ug amoang paningkamotan nga palamboon namo ni,” Mr. Joeffer Nueve, chairperson for the FA, declared.

“We’re thankful for SAAD because they didn’t disappoint. All members will have their share (of the goat), and we’ll strive to improve on this.”

Pipelined to secure the intervention in the next few weeks are 17 FAs across all 11 municipalities of the province. ###

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