DAVAO DE ORO, March 26, 2022 – Director Myer G. Mula of the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program visited two group beneficiaries in Davao de Oro to monitor the progress of its fishery livelihood projects on March 23.

Dir. Mula together with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 11 implementers traveled to Compostela and Nabunturan.

Quarry Highlanders Farmer’s Association (QHFA)

Composed of 61 members, QHFA is a beneficiary of the FY 2021 Tilapia Grow-Out Culture in Freshwater Fishpond Project worth Php 97,399.76. Fishery inputs include fingerlings, agricultural supplies such as feeds, and materials for the fishpond preparation.

Situated in barangay Ngan, Compostela, the group cultivated 1,248 square meters (sqm) fishpond, excavated it, and divided them into five compartments with each pond measuring at least 250sqm.

A total of 3,800 tilapia fingerlings were stocked on November 3, 2021. Feeding of the fish is done 4-6 times a day and regular sampling was also conducted to monitor its growth.

After three months, the group harvested 621 kilograms (kg) or 2,890 pieces (72.25% survival rate) and sold them at Php 110-120/kg with total gross income of Php 74,784 (Table 1).

On his visit, Dir. Mula congratulated the QHFA for achieving the 37.84 Return of Investment (ROI) which was earned from efficient project management.

He also lauded the 13 members of QHFA who took the initiative to replicate the project by cultivating tilapia in each 2,350sqm pond area.

Mainit Palaisdaan Sustainable Livelihood Association (MPLSA)

The group with 12 members, located in barangay Mainit, Nabunturan, is a subsidiary of Mainit Farmer’s Association (MFA) with more than 300 members, subdividing themselves to benefit from different crops and fishery livelihood projects.

MPLSA is interested in aquaculture, so they requested one from the Municipal Agriculture Office. During that time, SAAD was in the process of beneficiary identification for FY 2021 projects.

Fortunately, the subsidiary group was chosen for the tilapia grow-out culture in freshwater, which project includes fingerlings and feeds.

They cultivated 5,000 fingerlings in a 1,652sqm pond area on September 10, 2021.

As a result, the project provided them with a 94.54% survival rate or 4,727 pieces out of the total seed stock. They marketed 572.5kg of tilapia at Php 130-140/kg providing them Php 78,120 gross income (Table 1).Table 1. QHFA and MPLSA tilapia production income

With this report provided by the group during Dir. Mula’s visit, he then suggested that they should learn more about tilapia feeding management to incur higher and improved ROI in the succeeding cycles.

He requested DA-11 to include the group in another round of training on feeding management to ensure project sustainability.

Feeding comprises 60-70% of production cost and requires technical skills for efficient management. As fish stocks grow, feeding requirements adjust, depending on their sizes, which determine the feed ratio. Feeding management skills also provide strategic ways to help stocks meet their marketable size.

Both associations are on their second production cycle for tilapia grow-out culture in freshwater ponds. They simultaneously stocked fingerlings on February 2 and March 24, 2022, and expect to harvest after 120 days of culture period anticipating 85% survival which will eventually increase the ROI from the first cropping.

Continuous technical assistance from the program implementers will be provided. ###

Writers:
Jennifer Valcobero, SAAD NPMO Public Relation and Comms Officer
Danica May Silva, Davao de Oro Area Coordinator