LEYTE, September 28, 2022 – To recuperate from the effects of African Swine Fever (ASF), swine raisers turned to poultry production through the help of the Department of Agriculture- Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) in Pastrana, Leyte.

Background

Malitbogay Farmers Association (MFA) from Brgy. Malitbogay, Pastrana in Leyte is a farmers’ association (FA) established and registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in 2016. The group is composed of 16 active members who are rice and vegetable farmers.

When SAAD Program reached the municipality of Pastrana in 2018, MFA was recommended by the local government unit (LGU) to be one of the beneficiaries of SAAD.

SAAD Leyte then conducted a validation and needs assessment and as one of the active and productive FAs in the municipality, the team had seen the MFA’s potential and capability for the Swine Production Project.

The FA received the project intervention worth Php 555,800 in June 2018.

Table 1. Inputs received by MFA for the Swine Production Project

From May 2019 to April 2021, MFA’s operation of the swine project earned a gross income of Php 238,705 and a total net income of Php 45,767 which helped members in their daily expenses as well as to support their children’s educational needs.

Table 2. MFA’s Production Data (May 2019-April 2021)

African Swine Fever in Leyte

During the first quarter of 2021, the municipality of Pastrana, along with La Paz, Javier, Dulag, Tanauan, Palo, Burauen, and MacArthur was affected by the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF). MFA was one of the SAAD associations badly hit by ASF in the province and their stocks have been wiped out by the disease.

Currently, Pastrana is already in the “green zone” or considered ASF-free but the FA is quite hesitant to risk on another swine business.

Egg Production Project

To help the association recuperate, SAAD Region 8 allocated Php 8,634,000 from the savings for a supplemental livelihood to 12 FAs affected by ASF in Leyte. The Program provided the FY 2021 Egg Production Project to each validated and qualified association.

Table 3. Inputs received by MFA for FY 2021 Egg Production Project

* Each (12) association received Php 719,500 allocated funds for the Egg Production Project

The FAs were provided with training on proper management and supervision of the poultry project by the partner implementor, a technician of the Pilmico Feeds Company, and Basic Financial Literacy facilitated by SAAD staff in December 2021.

From January 2022 to May 2022, the association managed the project in their 125 square meter facility and already earned a total net income of Php 183,243 from their egg sales.

Table 4. MFA’s Egg Production (January 2022-May 2022)

MFA also participated in the KADIWA Fair by DA Region 8 which helps local farmers introduce their products to prospective buyers and partners in the province, from May 2022 to July 2022. The association sold 124 trays of eggs during the fair.

Table 5. MFA’s egg sales on the KADIWA Fair

MFA recently closed a deal from a bulk buyer in Tacloban City to supply 50 to 70 trays of eggs in different sizes weekly.

Though MFA was disheartened because of the effects of ASF on the swine project, SAAD’s Egg Production project rekindled the group’s drive to bounce back and not lose hope in any situation.

MFA has already seen the project’s potential, resulting in their sustainable income, and plans to expand by buying at least 100 head layer chicken as additional stocks by early 2023. ###

Writer: Marifel Duran Gayoso, DA-SAAD Leyte Area Coordinator II