COTABATO, November 2, 2022 – Twenty (20) members from the Guia Farmer’s Association each received two bags of hybrid corn seeds funded under FY 2021 savings for the Corn Production Project provided by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Region 12, on October 18.

The Php 131,800 worth of farm inputs is aimed at helping corn farmers increase their production of quality corn for consumption and earn more by providing them with free seeds. 

As seasoned farmers, they prefer to cultivate hybrid corn because it yields more than the Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV) that they planted before. Not only that it requires less application of pesticides, but also, hybrid seeds produce high-quality crops and higher yield. This way, the planters can save 20% of their harvest for consumption, and 80% will be sold in the market. They will use their income to buy seeds for the next planting season.

Further, SAAD Cotabato implementers, in coordination with the municipal agriculture office, continuously provide technical assistance and regular monitoring of their crops to ensure maximum yield through the proper application of fertilizer and pesticides. 

The members of the Guia FA showed appreciation for the assistance from the program. Twenty (20) first-in-line recipients (from the 43 group members) prepared their existing 20-hectare land for corn planting.  

After harvest (3 months at most), the group has a policy that the first grantees will give Php 5,000 cash to the next-in-line beneficiaries to help them start growing hybrid corn seeds. 

Municipal SAAD Focal Person Ma. Eden Barredo also advised the beneficiaries to pour their efforts on making the intervention more fruitful in order to facilitate the successful turnover of inputs (seed capital) to other FA members. 

SAAD with the assistance of the municipal agriculture office will provide corn production training to optimize their farm production. This will help in increasing production and income. 

The SAAD program evaluation officers, Josephine S. Ting, Jocelyn C. Sugabo, Nancy A. Ignacio, and Ma. Cristina Taguran facilitated the distribution, witnessed by the local government unit (LGU). ###     

Writer: Josephine Ting, DA-SAAD 12 Project Evaluation Officer