DAVAO REGION, November 11, 2024 – Two Indigenous Peoples (IP) farmers associations (FA)—Pangaleon FA in Davao Occidental and Bulol-Salo Indigenous People’s Association in Davao del Sur, undertook the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program’s Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) rollout as part of its conversion from partially-formed community-based enterprises (CBE) to fully-formed ones.

In its Phase 2 of implementation, SAAD geared towards creating CBEs out of the farmers groups it benefits. Previously, Tomoaong Livestock Agriculture Association in Davao Oriental served as the pilot FA for the MAED rollout in the region. 

“Importante nga masugdan na nato ang proseso sa pag-MAED sa atong mga grupo sa mga maguuma kay mao ni ang paagi nga mahimong mulungtad atong mga proyekto. Kani atong mga gipang-MAED karon nakasugod na jud ni sila ug mga gagmayng negosyo sa ilahang komunidad mao nang kinahanglan nato sutaon kung asa sila huyang ug unsa ilahang mga kakusog”, acting MAED and Social Preparation and Program Management (SPPM) lead for SAAD Davao Region Michelle Miñoza, said.

(It’s pivotal for us to begin the MAED process on our beneficiaries because this paves the way for our projects to sustain. These FAs that we’ve recommended for MAED, they’ve already been doing small business models in their respective communities, but we’ll need to see where they are lacking, and what their strengths are.)

Pangaleon FA built a general merchandise store out of the revenue from SAAD Davao Region’s layer chicken project while bolstering their daily egg production rates. Currently, the FA focuses on the daily upkeep of both ventures. Meanwhile, Bulol-Salo Indigenous People’s Association continues to sell farm-fresh eggs to various buyers. 

In a bid by the Program to systemize the creation of CBEs among its beneficiaries nationwide, SAAD institutionalized a MAED subunit to propel, streamline, and evaluate the FAs soundness and potential for business ventures.

“Nalipay mi nga nakitaan mi ug katakus para ani nga programa sa SAAD. Among tumong aning mga proyekto bisan tung una pa nga mapalungtad jud namo ang mga hinatag,” chairperson Jerelyn Tumondail, said,

(We are ecstatic that we have been assessed to have the worthiness for this. What we’ve set out to do in the first place with these SAAD projects was to sustain it.)

Both Pangaleon FA and Bulol-Salo Indigenous People’s Association have received corn and layer chicken projects for 2023 and 2024 and are set out to receive the same livelihood projects next year. SAAD Davao Region designed this series of agri-interventions in hopes to jumpstart, augment, and maintain the FAs enterprising efforts.

“Ang pinakatumong sa SAAD diri sa atong rehiyon nga atong mga maguuma makatukod sila ug panginabuhian nga mulungtad maong kita nga mga implementers, naningkamot ipaabot sa ilaha nga andam tang musuporta nila,” SAAD Davao Region Community Development Officer III Joed Orig, emphasized.

(It’s SAAD’s mandate here in the region for our farmers to build sustainable livelihood, that’s why we as implementers, we strive to encourage and support them.)

The SAAD Davao Region team who cascaded the MAED rollout include Miñoza and Orig, Food Production and Livelihood (FPL) head Aniel Balorio with FPL’s Associate Project Officer I Aurish Kizia Calawen, SPPM APO I Maria Corazon Sauro, and CDO II Rolan Lico. For 2024, SAAD Davao Region benefits 28 FAs across 14 municipalities in four provinces of the region including Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental. ###

Writer: James Brian Flaga, SAAD Davao Region PRDC

Photographer: James Brian Flaga, SAAD Davao Region PRDC

Source: DA-SAAD Davao Region