DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, February 22, 2024 – Five (5) months after receiving the layer chicken project distributed by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD), twenty-five (25) farmers in Sarangani reported Php 140,280 gross income from selling eggs.

In November 2023, the PALACACA Farmers, Fisherfolks, Vendors Association received Php 2 million worth of inputs which includes layer chicken project and cardava banana project. The layer chicken project consisted of 300 layer chickens with a cage system, 90 sacks of feeds, and various veterinary drugs, while the cardava banana project provided the farmers association with 15,000 cardava plantlets, 189 sacks of fertilizers, 15 bottles/packs of pesticides, 20 blue drums and 200 plastic crates. 

Prior to project distribution, the members of the FA underwent beneficiary needs assessment (BNA) to identify project suitability.

While providing locally-grown and accessible table eggs for the locality, the project also paved the way for new income opportunities for local farmers. Elpedio Singcoy, 66, was hired as caretaker to oversee the project’s day-to-day operations. 

“Dako ang tabang sa amoa aning proyekto… ’tung wala kuy trabaho, walay makaon, karon nakatabang sa amoang pangunsumo,” Singcoy related.

[It’s been a great help, this project. When I was out of work, we couldn’t eat, it helped in terms of day-to-day sustenance.]

The FA collects 7-8 trays of eggs per day, totaling to about 210-240 eggs per day. At peak production, Singcoy said that chicken layers could yield up to 9 trays. Two hundred and seventy-nine (279) birds remain after 21 mortalities. 

PALACACA is the first SAAD beneficiary FA in the municipality of Sarangani which received two production projects in 2023 from SAAD Davao Region. This year, the program added another FA, a women’s group to receive separate projects.

SAAD Davao Region’s Layer Chicken Project

Last year, SAAD Davao Region distributed its layer chicken production project to 14 pilot FAs across 4 provinces in the region. Each FA received 300 layer chickens with a cage module system, 90 sacks of feeds, and various veterinary drugs. 

This year, the program targets to deliver the same project with added enhancements such as improvement in the cage system to facilitate community-based enterprise (CBE) formation among the beneficiary groups. 

“Kinahanglan ni sa atoang mga napiling maguuma nga padayon atoang pagsuporta sa ilaha, dili lang kaisa o kaduha. Ang tumong sa SAAD karon, nga ang mga FAs nato makabarog na sila paghawa sa SAAD,” said SAAD Davao Region Associate Project Officer II for Social Preparation and Program Management Bernalyn Briones. 

[Our identified farmers groups need this continuing support in terms of agri-related projects, not just in one or two tranches. What SAAD goals now is for the FAs to be sustainable financially once the program ends.]

The layer chicken production project will span up to 2025, which will then be reviewed for its merits to determine its continuance for the last three years of SAAD Phase in 2026-2028. ###

Writer: James Brian Flaga, SAAD Davao Region PRDC
Photographer: Ronell Tangonan, SAAD Davao Region PRDC
Source: DA-SAAD Davao Region