The word “exponential” may well describe the remarkable growth of a farmer’s poultry production project in sleepy Sitio Cawilan, Brgy. Garden, Arteche, Eastern Samar, which has caused program implementers, technologists, and other stakeholders to be awed by noticing its unusual progress.

Neil M. Ladera, 49 years old, is a humble person who was into rice farming as a tenant.  The half of the harvest for every planting season was divided between him and his brother–in–law who helped him, while the other half went to the landowner as his share.  Most often, the income he earned is not enough to support his family’s finances until the next harvest, even if his wife pitches in by engaging into a sari-sari store business.

When he had the first chance to diversify his farming pursuits, he immediately grabbed it.  For him, being an elementary graduate is not a hindrance; rather, he saw this as a challenge to improve his living.

He was chosen as a beneficiary of the 2018 SAAD Program Poultry Production Project. He received 6 heads pullets and 1.2 bags of feeds.  These pullets then were multiplied because he also owned a rooster.  The eggs were then incubated with the layer chickens, and the chicks have multiplied exponentially. It reaches to 158 heads.

During the monitoring made by the group of SAAD, 72 eggs were being incubated by 6 hens at the chicken coop.

Neil has not attended any formal training on poultry production, he relied much on what he had known when raising roosters, native chickens, and ducks. He wishes to have his poultry to be inspected for infections that might occur, but he was already assured by the veterinarians of the DA–RFO 8 that they will conduct vaccinations to protect the birds from migratory diseases.  He was grateful that there had been no mortality cases in his poultry farm since distribution.

Neil loaned an amount of 10,000 pesos from his brother–in–law abroad to used it for the construction of his elevated poultry house and the remaining pesos for the feeds of his chickens (mix of crumble and layer mash).

He planned to further expand his poultry house to accommodate the growing population of his chickens.

SAAD Program did pursue its objectives by putting a stop to the culture of living just below the poverty line. Neil is a chicken farmer who uses whatever resources he has to feed his family. The government provided him assistance through the program and he made himself one story of success. ###

Writer: Michael F. Dabuet, SAAD RPMSO 8, Information Officer

Copy Editor: Jennifer A. Valcobero, SAAD NPMO PR and Communications Officer

Originally published on Peryodikit – Special Area for Agricultural Development Program (DA-SAAD) RFO VIII Official Publication