ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, June 25, 2021 – To increase vegetable production in Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte, the Teresita Farmers Association (FA) will establish a communal vegetable farm in their 1 hectare (ha) land through the FY 2021 Vegetable Production Project of the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program.

SAAD Region 9 delivered Php 305,040 worth of inputs to the 44 members of the association. They received assorted vegetable seeds consisting of eggplant (Php 15,000), okra (Php 3,600), cabbage (Php 30,000), squash (Php 4,400), ampalaya (Php 6,000), and string beans (Php 1,800).

The package also includes 20 bags of urea (Php 27,500), 20 bags of complete fertilizers (Php 27,500), organic fertilizers (Php 137,500), 20 plastic crates (Php 48,000), and 20 seedling trays (Php 3,740).

The group will start with the land preparation in the first week of July. Once established, the members will have shared responsibility in managing the communal garden.

Piñan Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Gina Aleta encouraged the farmers to work hard and care for the project to succeed. She said, “In this project, you may face challenges along the way but never be discouraged and never hesitate to tell it to the government because it is always there to cater your most needed assistance.”

Meanwhile, Piñan municipal agriculturist Merlie C. Regencia expressed her support by conducting lectures and training to capacitate the farmers in sustainable project management.

“We will not stop at planting, but will also consider engaging in processing vegetables and vegetable by-products. We strongly support this project and we will be conducting meetings to plan and organize every step that we have to take to make this very successful,” shared Ms. Regencia.

Likewise, Teresita FA president Pablito Cating also thanked the DA-SAAD Program and the local government unit for the project. “On behalf of the association, I am very thankful for DA-SAAD and the Municipal Agriculture for giving us this opportunity to improve our livelihood. This will serve as additional income to our main source of livelihood and will really improve our living,” Mr. Cating said. ###

Writer: Aimee Lou D. Madjus, Information Officer- DA SAAD Region 9, Zamboanga del Norte

Copy-editor: Natalianne Marie O. Delos Reyes, PR and Communications Officer-SAAD NPMO