SULU, September 9, 2022 – The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) program conducted a series of technical training on Crops and Layer Chicken-Egg production for 213 farmer-beneficiaries in six (6) municipalities in Sulu from June to July 2022. The training aims to maintain appropriate management of feeds, proper sanitation, and lighting system for egg machines, land preparation for planting, and pest control for cassava-corn-peanut projects.
The two-day training was held per municipality to ensure the sustainability of implemented projects in the area. A total of 213 learners from nine farmers associations (FAs) were accommodated in the activity (Table 1); all of which already received livelihood projects under the FY 2021 SAAD program.
Table 1. List of FCAs in the technical training
Engr. Sarha A. Sangkula, Supervising Agriculturist of Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) Sulu reviewed the appropriate practices for cassava, peanut, and corn production management, specifically on-site selection, land preparation, proper planting technique, fertilizer application, pest and insecticide application, and post-harvest practices.
SAAD Area Coordinators (ACs) also play a vital role in equipping the beneficiaries with appropriate skills to manage the layer chicken project. The ACs underwent hands-on practices during the training of trainers to refine their expertise in poultry farming. These ACs then served as training facilitators and resource speakers on comprehensive discussion on egg machine operation such as proper placement of egg machines, practical feeding procedures, to watering and lighting system, manure disposal, and record keeping of the daily farm activities of the beneficiaries.
“In maksud maka sunuh panghati pa manga sila lamud ha tarbilang ha supaya masawnuh iban kumuh in pag kamatay sin manok, kakahinang ha tungud pag-awal ha manga hayop iban na sin manga kagunahan hipag sawnu ha manga sakit magdatung pa manok in piyahati iban piyasampay ta kanila amun himagdir mari katu,” said Ms. Analisa Dauring, SAAD Sulu Provincial Coordinator.
(Aiming to implant the basic knowledge to our beneficiaries on how to prevent and minimize the mortality rate of their poultry, the biosecurity practices, and prophylactic measures were introduced and conscientiously explained to the participants.)
Controlling the spread of poultry diseases such as avian flu, ascaridiosis, and bacterial disease like E. coli ((Escherichia coli) through deworming procedures and proper sanitation, as well as identifying and providing medication on possible stocks illness were also tackled to minimize potential microbial contamination and spread of infectious diseases in flocks.
Meanwhile, the importance of adapting and proper usage of farming technologies such as cassava grater over the conventional manual process of grating was also encouraged by the resource speakers so the farmers may efficiently use their time for other activities aside from pressing and processing of grated cassava products.
Ms. Rosalyn R. Ahadon, Kabbun Takas Farmers Association president, expressed her gratitude to the SAAD Program saying, “Masukud kami sin in DA-SAAD masi nagpatuntul kamuh iban masi dimidihil panghati sin manga kagunahan namu. Mataud nakawa namuh pangadjian ha training ini, bihaun makaiyan na kami sin mapasung namu pa in project kyatukbal kamuh.”
(We were very fortunate that the DA-SAAD continues to guide and assist us by providing the necessary knowledge we need to acquire. We learned a lot from this training activity, and are now more confident that we can improve and sustain the project given to us.)
The training on Layer Chicken-Egg Project integrated with Cassava, Peanut, and Corn production, hopes to improve farming practices of the learners, being equipped to possible challenges in stock and crop management while under the program. SAAD Sulu is committed to providing technical support and farming inputs to assist the beneficiaries in producing enough for sustenance, and more for surplus with the intent to engage into small-scale enterprising activities. ###
Writer: Ellaine Quiamco, DA-SAAD Sulu Information Officer
