MIMAROPA, November 10, 2023 –To prepare farmers for a sustainable animal and crop-based project management, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Phase 2 in MIMAROPA conducted specialized training  on Goat raising, Vegetable Production, Cashew Processing, and Entrepreneurial Mind Setting to 12 farmers associations (FAs).

Conducted from June to July 2023 at the Municipalities of Balabac, Agutaya, and Magsaysay, the 270 farmers who attended the training are from Rural Improvement Club Caguisan (20 members); Carwang Danglis Maubas (CARDAMA) Farmers Association (20 members); Villa Fria Farmers Association (25 members); Samahan ng Maralitang Magsasaka ng Sitio Caguisan, Brgy. Salang (25 members); Lacaren Farmers Association (25 members); Villa Sol Farmers Association (25 members); Diit Farmers Association (25 members); Abagat Bangcal Cambian (AbBaCa) Farmers Association (20 members); Rizal Rural Improvement Club (20 members); Rizal-Lucbuan Farmers Livelihood Association (20 members); Kasoy Growers & Processing Association (25 members); and Carwang Danglis Maubas (CARDAMA)  Rural Improvement Club (20 members).

The training was facilitated by seven (7) implementers from the Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center (RIARC) of MIMAROPA, Provincial Agriculturist of Palawan, Dairy Production and Development Center (DPDC), DA-Palawan Research and Experiment Station (DA-PRES), and Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of DA MIMAROPA.

The training covered various topics on livestock and poultry production and management, fertilizer application and post-harvest practices,  and value-adding aspects on cashew processing. Meanwhile, Mr. Rustom Gonzaga, Agriculturist from the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of DA-MIMAROPA, conducted a training focused on entrepreneurial mind-setting.

Said  entrepreneurial development training corresponds to the program’s initiative, which is to help communities create enterprises by establishing market linkages and providing technical assistance and logistic support, while the agri-preneurship training aims to ensure the preparedness of the program beneficiaries in managing SAAD’s interventions.

Looking forward, SAAD MIMAROPA will be completing the project implementation in the last quarter of the fiscal year (FY) 2023, thereby benefiting 270 beneficiaries from 5 FAs. ###

Writer: Melissa F. Lingco, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Information Officer
Sources: Engr. Maiden Marie M. Segui, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Associate Project Officer, Ian Von Yadao, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Community Development Officer, Vilmar Robes, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Community Development Officer