DAVAO REGION, September 7, 2023 – To equip its project implementers with practical know-how for on-ground implementation, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development Davao Region trained its seven (7) community development officers (CDOs) with layer chicken best management practices.

This was in preparation for the simultaneous distribution of layer chicken livelihood projects to fourteen (14) farmers’ associations (FAs) from Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental. Each farmer group will receive 300 heads of layer chicken with a cage system, assorted veterinary drugs, egg trays, and weighing scales.

Since it’s the SAAD Davao Region’s first attempt at layer chicken production with its beneficiaries, the program necessitated its implementers to gain baseline knowledge in basic bird management, feeding and water requirements, and disease control. 

Previously, the program devised upgraded native chicken production projects in Davao de Oro for its first phase of implementation. While retained field implementers gained experience and first-hand knowledge from that implementation, the shift into layer from native based from beneficiary needs assessment results, required nuanced knowledge specific to the breed’s management.  The upgraded native variety was meant for both meat and egg production, with the birds intended for free- or limited-range roaming. Layer chicken, on the other hand, is purely egg-producing and caged for its lifetime.  

The training took place at LDM Farm, an operating layer chicken farm in Mati, Davao Oriental. LDM Farm supplies table eggs across Region 11. 

“Dako kaayong tabang ni nga training para macapacitate atoang mga tao unsaon pag-atiman sa layer chicken. Ang mga basic farm practices mao nay kinahanglan para mahimong successful ang project ni SAAD,” Mr. Mckevin Mosquesa, SAAD’s community development officer, remarked.

(The training is a big help to capacitate our staff on how to manage layer chicken. Those basic farm practices are vital in making SAAD’s project successful.)

Application

The training capacitated the CDOs to directly train their assigned FAs in both theoretical and practical management of layer chicken. Aside from knowledge and skills transfer, the training of trainers also ensures smoother project implementation. In the next two months, distribution of the project will commence.

Writer: James Brian R. Flaga, DA-SAAD Davao Region Information Officer
Photos by: Ronell T. Tangonan, DA-SAAD Davao Region Information Officer