PANGASINAN, October 5, 2023 – Assisting small-scale crop cultivators and livestock raisers to establish long-term income sources, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program granted Php 1,779,069.32 worth of integrated Cattle Fattening and Corn Production Project to 80 members of United Barangay San Antonio Sto. Tomas Farmers’ Association, Inc. (UBSASTFAI) in Pangasinan.   

Completing the distribution of project inputs under the said project, SAAD Ilocos scheduled the distribution of 60 bags of open-pollinated variety corn seeds in the first week of October, allowing farmers to cultivate the crop on a 60-hectare communal farm in rotation with rice.

From May to June 2023, UBSASTFAI received in advance 26 cattle fatteners with 100 bags of ruminant grower feeds, 80 bottles of drugs and biologics; two pump and engine sets, 12 units of knapsack sprayer, 25 pieces plastic drum, and 52 bags of inorganic fertilizer for their corn production. 

For their cattle fattening project, the group reared the large ruminants in a communal area. Through this, they can take turns in managing the animals until they can establish and operate cattle fattening enterprises involving sale of liveweight cattle and beef in accordance with the policies and guidelines set by the association.  

Said interventions under SAAD’s Food and Livelihood component were designed after considering the results of the Beneficiary Needs Assessment (BNA) conducted with the farmers of Barangay San Antonio. UBSASTFAI has group members engaging in rice and corn production, with each member tilling an average of 1-hectare of farm lands. The community also has pasture land or areas that are suitable for cattle-raising. Hence, the crop and livestock projects were introduced since animals can also benefit from corn stalks, cobs, and mature leaves after harvest as their food.

Before project distribution, UBSASTFAI members were equipped on proper cattle care and sustainable corn cultivation, in a two-day onsite training on corn production and cattle management conducted by the Program. 

During the turnover, DA-RFO 1 Regional Executive Director (RED) Annie Bares reminded the recipients to take care of the interventions they are receiving from the government during the official turnover of livelihood projects from SAAD. 

“Lagi ko pong sinasabi sa inyo na pakaingatan ninyo ang mga natatanggap ninyong interventions. Sana hindi maging rason para sa pag aaway away ninyo kundi maging dahilan ng pagkakaisa ninyo para mamaximize ang mga resources na naibibigay sa inyo ng ating gobyerno,” said Director Bares. 

(I am always telling you to take good care of the interventions you are receiving. I hope these [projects] will not be a cause for your misunderstanding but rather a reason for you to unite so the resources given by the government could be maximized.)

Also present during distribution were Pangasinan 5th District Representative Hon. Ramon Guico Jr., Pangasinan 5th district board member Chinky Perez-Tababa, FOD Chief – Analiza Ramos, APCO for Pangasinan Dr. Marvin Quilates, and representatives of Binalonan Mayor Hon. Ramon Ronald Guico IV and Hon. Governor Ronald Guico III. ###

Writer: Roley Ann P. Dela Cruz, DA-SAAD Ilocos Region Information Officer