SIQUIJOR, June 7, 2022 – Forty (40) poultry raisers received specialized training on Chicken Egg Production initiated by the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development Program (DA-SAAD) Siquijor from May 25 to 26, 2022 to refresh and improve farmers’ capacity for continuous management and sustainability of their poultry project.

Members of the SAAD associations – Cantabon Eco-Tourism Association (5), Tulapos Marine Protected Area Association (2), Paliton Vegetable Growers Association (5), Kinamandagan Farmers Association (6), Lico-an Siquijor Farmers Irrigators’ Association, Inc. (11), and Cang-allas Communal Gardening Association (11) – took part in the two-day specialized training on Chicken Egg Production.

Before joining SAAD, members of Tulapos Marine Protected Area Association and Cantabon Eco-Tourism Association were tour guides; while members from San Juan, Lazi, Maria, and Larena were tiling their land with vegetables.

FY 2021 Chicken Egg Production Project

The FY 2021 Chicken Egg Production Project was implemented through the strong collaboration of SAAD with the local government unit (LGU) of Siquijor and the Provincial Veterinary Office. It has a total project cost amounting to Php 1,816,880 which benefited six groups of poultry raisers in Siquijor.

On February 17 and 18, 2022, the associations received the poultry input and materials from the SAAD Program.

Table 1. Interventions received per association

Currently, farmers feel the impact of the project where the six FAs have already sold a total combined number of 44,622 eggs from February to May 2022 production. The project recorded a total income of Php 190,175.30.

Table 2. Income from FY 2021 Chicken Egg Production

Nestor Calibo, President of Cang-allas Communal Gardening Association expressed his gratitude to the program. “Nalipay mi ug dako anang na identify mi as beneficiary sa Chicken Egg Production Project sa DA-SAAD. Nagpasalamat pod mi nga abtik kaayo among mga barangay officials nga hands-on kaayo sa pagtabang namo especially sa pag gama sa layer house. Dako kaayo among kalipay kay first time namo makadawat ug project nga ingon ani kadako ang kantidad. Pasalamat pod mi aning training kay daghan mi ug nakat-onan ug unsaon pag galam sa mga manok.”

(I am very happy that I am one of the identified beneficiaries of SAAD’s Chicken Egg Production Project. I would like to thank our barangay officials for helping us build the layer house. We are delighted because this is the first time that we receive this huge project coming from the government. We would like to thank SAAD for conducting this training. We have learned a lot, especially in chicken production and management).

The Training 

Training session led by Mr. Ramir Chan, Senior Agriculturist of the Provincial Veterinary Office focused on the production and management of layer chickens and the prevention and control of diseases.

The training aims to provide the farmers with chicken egg production expertise, knowledge of poultry disease prevention and control, and management skills needed in the daily operations of the said project.

Aside from the DA Region-7 management office, Siquijor Provincial LGU expressed full support for the extension service activity.

Provincial Governor Zaldy S. Villa conveys continued support for the agriculture sector’s initiatives in the province. “We, in the provincial government, always support training programs like these that help our farmers raise the standard of agricultural production in the province. Through our program today, we hope to be able to train our local farmers on the best management practices for the Chicken Egg Production Project. We thank the Department of Agriculture for its partnership and we hope to continue working with you to improve the lives of Siquijodnons.”

Present at the training aside from participants were Siquijor Governor Hon. Zaldy S. Villa, PVO-Siquijor OIC-Provincial Veterinarian Jhea G. Manginsay, DVM, PVO Siquijor Senior Agriculturist Ramir A. Chan, Agricultural Center Chief-III/APCO Siquijor Gregolito E. Bunado, and SAAD PPMSO Siquijor.

As a way forward, officers of the farmers’ associations are in the line-up to receive training on Basic Accounting for Non-accountants and Leadership and Team-building in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of FY 2022. ###

Writer: Jolina Daño, DA- SAAD Region 7 Information Officer

Source: Agnes Guanella M. Cafe Provincial Coordinator, Siquijor