BOHOL, January 26, 2024 – Twenty-five (25) farmer members of Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Basacdacu in Barangay Basacdacu, Alburquerque, Bohol established their communal garden after receiving agricultural inputs from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 project implementation.

The farmer association (FA) received vegetable seeds such as ampalaya, string beans, eggplant, okra and bell pepper which were distributed by SAAD including 10 grass cutters, 25 sacks of complete fertilizer, 10 bags muriate of potash, 50 water sprinklers, 25 pick mattocks, and 25 pieces plastic drums as part of the FY 2023 Integrated Cattle Fattening and High-Value Crop Production project, valued at Php 3,070,992.50. 

In the past, each member grew vegetables for personal use. Now, they have collectively transformed a 5,000-square-meter idle land into a communal vegetable garden. With the help of the Municipal Agriculture Office staff Windyl N. Malaran and Erie S. Penticase, the group planted ampalaya on 961 square meters and string beans on 1,398.5 square meters, starting in October 2023. The FA has already started land preparation on the remaining area which is intended for planting squash which they expect to harvest in April or May. 

Three months later, the group, Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Basacdacu, earned Php 4,665 by selling their first harvest – 62.29 kilograms of ampalaya and 6.1 kilograms of string beans – during the town’s market day. All the earnings from the garden were added to the association’s savings fund.

Led by FA President Chona Maria L. Ras, the initiative began as a team effort to address food security and livelihood challenges. During communal gardening, FA members worked together on tasks like preparing the land and growing seeds. They then divided into subgroups to manage the farm more efficiently, with each farmer handling chores like cleaning, watering, and harvesting twice a week.

“Nagpasalamat ko ug dako sa programa sa SAAD farmers nga kami ang napili sa ilang gitabangan kay dako kaayo ang tabang nga ilang nahatag kanamo. Sa ginagmay nga  pang supporta sama sa mga gulay, kami dili na mamalit ug mga utanon sa merkado ug makaincome pa mi,” Chona commented. 

(I am very happy that we are chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the SAAD Program because it helped us a lot. Now, we [farmers] don’t buy vegetables in the market anymore. We plant our food and we earn income from our plants).

Currently, the group has begun planting eggplant and bell pepper seeds provided by the Program. They anticipate harvesting ampalaya and string beans three times a week starting in January 2024. Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Basacdacu intends to use the initial earnings from their shared vegetable garden to expand their production by cultivating various crops. Additionally, they plan to establish a community-based enterprise under SAAD Phase 2. ###

Writer: Jessica R. Alvero, DA–SAAD Central Visayas Information Officer
Source: Grace C. Quisto, SAAD Bohol Area Coordinator