DAVAO CITY, JANUARY 25, 2021 – Amid a new normal, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Region 11 appropriated Php 43 million, its biggest allocation yet since its pilot year, for agricultural livelihood projects in Davao de Oro.

This represents an upward trend with a 4.65% increase from the allocation last year (Php 41 million), a noteworthy 59.5% growth from 2019 (Php 25.6 million), and a staggering 164% built-up compared to 2018 (Php 15.5 million) – the program’s pilot year.

Of the Php 43 million, 60 farmers’ associations from 57 barangays covering the entire 11 municipalities of the province will benefit from the program’s identified interventions. The livelihood projects include production on banana (lakatan), abaca, lettuce, native chicken, duck (itik pinas kayumanggi), and upgraded goat.

“This (referring to the budget) will increase the scope of our projects, and I’m personally pleased about this development,” SAAD Region 11 Focal Person Naomi Lamata said.

“The increase in budget means confidence that our interventions are making a difference,” SAAD Region 11 Provincial Coordinator Jake Colina added.

In its three years of operations, the program served more than 11,000 beneficiaries.

SAAD Region 11 maintains a positive disposition that despite the ongoing pandemic, the interventions will continue to improve the lives of its recipients, most especially those in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) and Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) areas. Among the groups of Indigenous People served by the program include Mansaka, Ata, Dibabawon, Mandaya, etc.

In 2018, SAAD Region 11 piloted in five municipalities in the province, increasing the scope twofold in 2019 to 10, then covering all 11 municipalities in 2020. ###

Writer: James Brian R. Flaga, SAAD RPMSO 11 Information Officer

Source: DA-SAAD Davao de Oro