The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 officially welcomed the Bagwakan Farmers Association (FA) of Barangay Sirawai Proper in Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte as one of its new farmer beneficiaries through a two-day program orientation and profiling activity conducted on May 7–8, 2026.
Composed mostly of Ulama or Muslim religious leaders and members of their community, the association’s inclusion in the program highlights DA-SAAD’s continuing effort to extend agricultural support to underserved and marginalized sectors in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. For many of the beneficiaries, the intervention represents an opportunity to strengthen household income while promoting community participation in agricultural development.
Although the association was identified through the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) conducted back in 2024, the implementation of interventions only commenced this year, making the association an official beneficiary of the program in 2026.
The activity served as the association’s formal introduction to the program and prepared them for the rollout of their livelihood intervention.
During the orientation, DA-SAAD Regional Office in Zamboanga Peninsula personnel discussed the goals and framework of the program, emphasizing its community-based approach in assisting marginalized farming households. Ms. Catherine Aranton, Social Preparation and Program Management (SPPM) sub-unit Lead, explained the objectives of the program and discussed its four major components.
Representatives from the Food Production and Livelihood (FPL) and Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) sub-units also briefed the association on the various services and assistance they may access under the program, from technical assistance and enterprise development to monitoring support.
On the other hand, Mr. Ernest Herbert Baird conducted an orientation for the beneficiaries on the profiling process and explained the importance of collecting accurate household and livelihood data for program planning, monitoring, and future interventions. A total of 25 association members underwent profiling during the two-day activity.
As Bagwakan FA is set to receive a Layer Chicken-Egg Production project worth Php 952,150.00, FPL sub-unit staff Mr. Mark Joseph Lorete conducted a technical briefing on basic poultry management practices. Members were oriented on proper housing, feeding, health management, and egg production to help prepare them for the implementation and management of the project.
For the members of Bagwakan FA, the activity marked the beginning of a new opportunity to establish a community-based livelihood enterprise that can support both their families and their community. Through the layer chicken-egg production project, the association is expected to contribute to local egg supply while developing a sustainable source of income for farmers in Sirawai.###
