ILOILO CITY, January 25, 2024 – Closing the 2023 implementation with 34 farmers’ associations (FAs) assisted, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program finishes the year with 100% physical accomplishment, achieving 91.55% obligation and 88.38% disbursement rates as of December 31, 2023.

With its total budget allocation of Php 39,734,000, SAAD Western Visayas has successfully rolled out 34 livelihood project packages on corn, high-value crops, and poultry-related interventions distributed to 34 farmer groups benefiting 1,020 group members. 

Under corn production, six (6) livelihood packages were given to six (6) FAs with 180 group members. Fourteen (14) batches of specialized training were conducted involving 180 farmers from Aklan, Guimaras, and Antique.

Under high-value crop production, 15 livelihood packages were given to 15 FAs with 450 group members. Thirty-three (33) batches of specialized training were conducted involving 450 farmers from Aklan, Guimaras, Iloilo, Antique, and Negros Occidental.

On poultry production, 13 livelihood packages were given to 13 FAs with 390 group members. Twenty-six (26) batches of specialized training were conducted involving 390 farmers from Guimaras, Iloilo, Antique, and Negros Occidental.

In a bid to ready and engage communities before receiving the livelihood projects, the program has accomplished 68 batches of social preparation activities focusing on capability-building to actively involve them in agricultural development projects. These preparatory activities likewise include the Beneficiary Needs Assessment, a joint dialogue that steers the collective discussion among beneficiaries to identify feasible projects for themselves. 

A total of 73 batches of specialized training were conducted revolving on both the production and value-adding technologies for each specific commodity; some of which were financial management training that would help them make wise financial decisions, proper record-keeping, and management of their resources and properties.

The region’s IT and Database Development (ITDD) Unit, on the other hand, has promptly completed its profiling activities among 34 group beneficiaries in nine SAAD municipalities, gathering a total of 1,020 group members’ profiles. At least 598 of these profiles were uploaded to the database system. The region has yet to complete the entry of lacking information on the beneficiaries and cross-check existing profiles to eliminate system duplications.

Moreover, the Public Relations and Development Communication (PRDC) Unit, directed to create effective education and information materials for the consumption of local information consumers, has successfully published 25 press releases which were duly translated to local dominant dialects – Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a. These press releases were in the form of editorial, news, and feature stories that told the narratives of SAAD farmers, implementers, and LGU partners. 

For 2024, SAAD Western Visayas seeks to add two barangays from La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and San Rafael, Iloilo to its pool of beneficiaries. This accounts to 36 FAs who will still receive livelihood projects on corn, high-value crops, and poultry production. ###

Writer: Cedie C. Bataga, DA-SAAD Western Visayas Information Officer
Photos by: Denmark Prayco, DA-SAAD Western Visayas ITDD Officer