OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, July 27, 2022 – The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program awarded Php 600,000.00 worth of vegetable production materials to six farmers’ associations (FAs) to boost vegetable production in SAAD expansion areas in Calintaan and Sablayan.

With this livelihood project from SAAD, 225 farmers will benefit and start their cultivation of pakbet or assorted vegetable seeds and garden tools.

Table 1. Interventions awarded to vegetable growers in Calintaan and Sablayan

Each FA in Calintaan will cultivate .5 ha of land for their communal garden. Members of the associations agreed to lend their lands for their groups to use.

On the other hand, vegetable growers in Sablayan will start in individual backyard gardening while working on obtaining land for their communal garden.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa SAAD dahil kayo pa lang ang nakapagbigay sa amin ng mga tulong” (We are grateful to SAAD because they are the first who gave us support), shared Ms. Arlen Sablayan, chairperson of SAKAMAMA.

The beneficiaries reside in far-fetch areas, estimating a minimum of 30-minute motorcycle ride from the main proper. Their homes are also situated in End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC)-identified areas in Calintaan and Sablayan.

SAAD Program makes sure to reach out to the marginalized communities and expands this reach in Occidental Mindoro, both for IPs and Tagalog farmers by providing free livelihood interventions suited to their community needs despite program conclusion this year. ###

Writer: Dianne Francis A. Sy-Gorembalem, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Information Officer

Sources:

Oliver B. Cosme, SAAD Area Coordinator – Sablayan

Relan S. Sabac, SAAD Area Coordinator – Calintaan