LA UNION, November 13, 2023 – To improve farmers’ skills and knowledge in crop cultivation, forty-five (45) beneficiaries of indigenous Kankana-ey farmers in Bagulin, La Union were provided with training on vegetable production through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Designed to improve farmers’ capacity in managing and sustaining their vegetable project and at the same time increase supply of fresh and nutritious vegetables in their communities, the participants who are members of the Sinabugan Farmer’s Association (FA) received actual on-site demonstration on how to cultivate short and medium-term crops.

Mr. Joni Belino, technician from the East West Seed Company, served as the training resource person. He discussed proper ways of seed sowing, seedling preparation, and pest and disease management. He also showed a more suitable way of mulching, since most of the farms in the said municipality are situated along hilly slopes.

Experts from the supplier also demonstrated to the farmers the operation and maintenance of the multipurpose cultivator which will contribute a lot to their farming activities, specifically in the soil preparation.

Sinabugan Farmers’ Association is a beneficiary of FY 2023 Enhanced Cattle and Vegetable Production Project worth Php 3,254,578 funded under SAAD Program Phase 2.  

During the Beneficiary Needs Assessment (BNA) conducted by SAAD Ilocos in May this year, it was found out that Sinabugan FA’s farmlands are usually planted with rice from the months of May to November, and thereafter, farmers cultivate vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, and sweet pepper for additional income. They also plant tiger grass along the high slopes of their farms and its stalks are processed into soft brooms. Given their remote location, Sinabugan farmers do not travel often to the town’s public market to buy their daily needs as well as trade their produce, hence, cattle rearing and vegetable cultivation are valuable additions to their income sources. 

After receiving inputs in September and training in October, the Sinabugan farmers with consolidated gardens of 7,770 square meters have started their individual vegetable production. At present, four members initially harvested 1,785 kilograms of tomato sold at Php 15 and 200 kilograms of cucumber at Php 20, giving them Php 30,775 gross income. For the meantime, said vegetable yield was sold within the community and nearby barangays but the FA plans to market their produce to other partner-buyers as the program progresses. ###

Writer: Pearl Lovedyn A. Dacuag, DA-SAAD Region 1 Information Officer