SORSOGON, August 5, 2022 – Sixty (60) SAAD corn farmers from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Sorsogon attended a training on Corn Production and Enterprise Development as a skill-building support for the establishment of corn by-products enterprise of the beneficiaries.

Thirty (30) members of the Juban Bubay Corn Farmers’ Association (JBCF) were in the first batch of training, which was held at Casa Feliz, Juban, Sorsogon. Meanwhile, 30 members of the Naspi Agricultural Workers Association (NAWA) attended the second batch held in Pilar, Sorsogon.

The training featured enterprise development training which aims to equip the SAAD beneficiaries with technical knowledge on food processing and proper food handling practices to be technically, socially and effectively prepared for the project implementation.

Topics on the fundamentals on corn pest and disease management were tackled by Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) Staff Jeanidel Apogñol, imparting knowledge on proper pest control in case of a crop infestation.

Corn Production Technology discussion was led by the SAAD Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) Technical Staff for Corn, Suzette Dela Rama, tackling appropriate practices on corn management including site selection, land preparation, fertilizer application and post-harvest practices. This gave the farmers proper know-how on sustaining crops for better yield.

SAAD Researchers, Honey Leah Cantoria and Jenny Delmiguez, with the assistance of the SAAD Program Sorsogon staff, demonstrated cooking of various products. The participants were taught on how to make cassava and common corn-based Filipino products such as corn dog, cassava sesame balls, cassava de yema and cassava cheese roll. The activity aims to upskill the farmers with knowledge on how to come up with additional income to explore their capabilities to engage in different corn-based product recipes as their start-up enterprise to have a profitable business this year.

Aside from technical training, farmers were also introduced to the Financial Literacy and Organizational Development workshop on the second day.

Multi Agri-forest and Community Development Cooperative (MAF COOP) Marketing Manager, Perlyn Onquit was also present in the event to talk about various financial and marketing strategies that can help the farmers with proper fund handling to sustain their enterprise in the future. Topics on Financial Literacy and its significance, Filipino Values, Financial Recording, and Bookkeeping were discussed.

One of the participants, Ronilo Milarpes, President of BUBAY Corn Farmers’ Association expressed his gratitude to the SAAD Program, “Dakol po an samong naukudan sa training lalong lalo na po sa paghimo nin mga produkto na pwede ming pagkakitaan. Salamatunon po sa SAAD na naghatag nin dagdag kaaraman saamon para mas magayon ang maging resulta san pagtanon namon nin mais.”

(We learned a lot from the training especially in making products that we can earn money from. A big thanks to the SAAD Program for giving us more knowledge so that the outcome of our corn production can be better).

JBFC is the recipient of the Corn Production Package worth Php236,668.00, which included white and glutinous corn seeds, foliar and organic fertilizer, cassava seedpieces, vacuum pack sealer, 10-kilogram (kg) weighing scale, and various kitchen supplies.

Meanwhile, NAWA is the recipient of the Corn Production and Enterprise Development package worth Php 618,670.00 which included the above-mentioned interventions with additional inputs needed for food processing like hydraulic press, cassava pulverizer, cassava grater, oven and stainless streamer.

The JBCF started to plant white and glutinous corn in their 1-hectare land which is expected to mature in August 2022. NAWA, on the other hand, started planting in their 1.5-hectare land in July, and looks forward to harvesting their crops in October. When combined, these associations have a projected harvest of 14,000 kilograms.###

Writer: Pauline Trixia D. Borja, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Information Officer

Sources:
Mary Rose Detera, DA-SAAD Sorsogon Provincial Coordinator
Suzette Dela Rama, DA-SAAD Region 5 Technical Staff
Ma. Ligaya Renegado, DA-SAAD Juban Area Coordinator
Jonas Guanizo, DA-SAAD Pilar Area Coordinator

Photos: DA–SAAD Program Sorsogon