LANAO DEL NORTE, August 11, 2021 – Twenty-five Higaonon farmers in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte received Php 200,000 worth of inputs for Tilapia Culture in Pond Project of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Special Area for Agricultural Development (BFAR-SAAD) Program.

The Higaonon farmers are corn, vegetable, and banana farmers who are members of Malumpayad Tribal Farmers Association (MTFA) from Sitio Malumpayad, Rogongon – a Geographically Isolated Displaced Area (GIDA). They became a beneficiary of SAAD on May 7.

Funded under SAAD’s FY 2021 budget, the group got 50,000 tilapia fingerlings and 200 bags of feeds on August 9. With 4-5 months of culture period, the group expects to harvest from November to December.

MFTA stocked the fingerlings in their 35 backyard fish ponds ranging from 500 to 2,000 square meters. MFTA’s area is located in the mountains of the city, 100 kilometers away from the shoreline. Usually, fish that reach the area are expensive and low quality. Thus, the group recognized the need to culture fish for consumption and livelihood.   

The SAAD technical staff conducted site validation and inspection of the proposed project areas prior to the distribution of the inputs. 

Also, the beneficiaries participated in a series of technical training on tilapia grow-out culture in ponds in June 2021. 

Moreover, the group is still set to receive postharvest and marketing training, cooperative formation training, and financial management, and internal audit and control in the 4th quarter this year.

SAAD Lanao Del Norte plans to organize the group as an agricultural and fisherfolk marketing cooperative. ###

Writer: Jennifer A. Valcobero, SAAD Public Relation and Comms Officer
Source: Al Jun Barbon Magamano, SAAD Lanao Del Norte Focal Person