SORSOGON, July 15, 2022 – Swine project beneficiary of the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program from Brgy. Peñafrancia, Sta Magdalena, Sorsogon listed Php149,500.00 in 2 years of production, despite threats to the local hog industry.

In August 2019, Ms. Jennifer Gadais, a 36-year-old mother of three, was one of the chosen individual beneficiaries of the SAAD Swine Production Project FY 2019. Prior to the distribution, selected beneficiaries underwent training on Swine Production and Natural Farming Technologies in July 2019. Ms. Gadais’ earnings from her poultry business would accumulate to Php 149,500.

The implementation of the project in the area is best suited for the chosen beneficiaries since many of them are already experienced in swine production. Additionally, Sta. Magdalena is a far-flung municipality, thus having swine production within their town contributes to the community’s ease of access to meat supply.

Before receiving the assistance, Ms. Gadais and her partner, Mr. Paquito Lacra primarily relied on their measly salary as a Barangay Kagawad earning Php 6,000 per month, while Mr. Lacra, is a Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) volunteer earning a daily wage of Php 200. The couple uses this to supplement their family’s daily expenses.

In August 2019, Ms. Gadais received inputs amounting to Php 33,400 which included five (5) head of native piglets (a boar and four gilts), one (1) pig pen, and 7.5 bags of rice bran feeds under SAAD’s Swine Production Project FY 2019.

However, in the same month, African Swine Fever (ASF) cases were rising and reached nearby municipalities. Committed to sustainability, an agreement for a roll-over scheme was implemented where Ms. Gadais had to pass down the three gilts (eight months old) and the boar (nine months old) to the second-in-line beneficiary and kept a gilt for breeding purposes.

While hog production in many areas in the country was halted due to ASF spread, fortunately, the local government unit (LGU) of Sta. Magdalena made the proper measures, such as isolation and animal checkpoints in the area to prevent the viral disease from affecting the farmers’ drift of swine.

Furthermore, the remaining gilt was raised for 6 months which produced a total of 51 piglets within six cycles from May 2020-April 2022. Ms. Gadais sold 46 of them at Php 3,000.00-Php 4,000.00 each, while five were handed down to third-in-line beneficiaries who also had intentions to venture into swine raising and breeding.

With the 46 piglets sold from June 2020-May 2022, Ms. Gadais accumulated a total income of Php149,500.00 from her swine production (Table 1).

Table 1. Details of Ms. Gadais’  swine raising activities (2020-2022)

The earnings were alloted for Ms. Gadais’ children’s tuition fees, daily food consumption, pig pen reconstruction and extension, purchase of television and washing machine, and payment for their motorcycle’s monthly installment fee.  Having covered her monthly expenses made possible by her growing enterprise reflects on the effectiveness of the SAAD-provided swine production livelihood.

Ms. Gadais extended her gratitude to the SAAD Program. “Salamatunon sa SAAD kay natagan kami sin urig na nag hatag man sin dako-dako na income na nakadanon sa pagbuhay sa sakuyang pamilya. Sana deretso gihapon an SAAD na makadanon sa iba na parauma para damo man an makapag asenso sa buhay arog ko,” expressed Ms. Gadais.

(Thank you very much SAAD for granting us with pigs that gave us a profitable business and made my family’s livelihood flourish. I hope that SAAD will continue to help other farmers so that they could also thrive in life like me).

Gadais’ swine production plan

On June 18, 2022, the couple sold the initial native sow from SAAD for Php 21,000.00 and bought a new gilt for sow production purposes that will start this July.

As of now, the couple still works in their day jobs while managing the sustainability of their swine production. The earnings that they will be collecting will be used for the pig pen’s improvement and expansion this year. ###

Writers:
Pauline Trixia D. Borja, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Information Officer
Juan Paulo A. Quizana, DA-SAAD Region 5 Information Officer

Sources:
Mary Rose A. Detera, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Provincial Coordinator
Aizel D. Grefalda, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Area Coordinator

Photos:
Pauline Trixia D. Borja, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Information Officer
Arnel D. Destacamento, DA-SAAD Program Sorsogon IT Officer