SOUTH COTABATO, November 8, 2024 — The Gawang Bangsamoro Farmers Association (FA), under the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 in Region 12 has earned a total of Php 978,924 from selling 1,682 sacks of yellow corn last October 11, 2024.

The said harvest was accumulated from 29 hectares of farmland in Brgy. Sadsalan, Lambayong. The group is composed of 35 members situated in the lowland area and is based in Sultan Kudarat Province. 

With a selling price of Php 882.00 for each sack of corn, the FA has generated an income of Php 51,156.00 for 58 sacks of yellow corn per hectare, which amounted to the overall total gross income of Php 1,483,524.00 for 29 hectares. The total expenses incurred totalled Php 504,600.00 which includes labor costs of the production and harvesting fees, leaving the group with a net income of Php 978,924.00.

Gawang Bangsamoro FA was selected to be the recipient of the Integrated Corn Production with Vegetable and Livestock Production in 2024 which then received 60 bags of corn seeds with 180 bags of fertilizers and 3 horses last July 19.

The association began planting said seeds which were among those they received, in the last week of  July this year. The group completed most of their harvest between the second week of September and the end of October. 

Previously, the Farmers’ Association (FA) used “sige-sige” seeds—low-quality, uncertified, and reused corn seeds—which resulted in low yields and lower market prices. However, through the seeds distributed by the program, their harvest significantly improved, allowing them to earn a higher income in the last harvest season.

In light of this, the President of the Gawang Bangsamoro FA Sittie Rahma G. Sagabain expressed her gratitude for the Program. “Sa tulong ng SAAD program, tumaas ng 30% ang produksyon ng mais namin, kaya mas maganda ang ani at mas malaki ang kinita namin, Talagang napakalaki ng naitulong ng proyekto ng SAAD sa aming ani at kita,” said Sagabain.

(With the support from the SAAD Program, our corn production increased by 30%, resulting in better harvests and significantly higher profits. The SAAD project has truly made a big difference in our yields and overall income.)

Further, the association has saved nearly 15% in labor costs by use of mechanical harvesters. This has significantly streamlined both the harvesting and hauling of corn, with the machine automatically shelling the corn during the process. 

This improvement in yield and quality has allowed the farmers to command better prices in the market, significantly boosting their income.###

Writer: Jericho Jhon F. Palawan, SAAD IO-II