Bukidnon

While Bukidnon is landlocked, it has a modest but growing inland fisheries and aquaculture sector. Inland fish farming—especially tilapia, catfish (hito), carp, and native freshwater species—is practiced in fishponds, reservoirs, and rivers in municipalities like Don Carlos, Pangantucan, Maramag, and Valencia.

The province also utilizes man-made lakes such as Lake Apo and parts of the Pulangi River system for cage aquaculture and fish stocking. BFAR supports the sector by providing fingerlings, floating cages, fish feeds, and training on pond management and water quality control.

Aquaculture in Bukidnon serves both as a food security measure and an alternative income source, particularly for landless or low-income rural families.

Bukidnon continues to face high poverty incidence, especially in IP-dominated upland areas and municipalities affected by historical conflict or limited access. Municipalities such as San Fernando, Cabanglasan, Quezon, and Talakag rank high in vulnerability due to remoteness, underdeveloped infrastructure, and low productivity.

While urbanizing areas like Valencia and Malaybalay have benefitted from economic growth, a significant rural-urban gap remains. The government’s focus includes rural electrification, access roads, water systems, and livelihood programs targeting GIDA (Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas).

Programs such as 4Ps, KALAHI-CIDSS, and agri-livelihood convergence projects have been essential, but long-term poverty reduction depends on empowering smallholders, securing ancestral domains, and enhancing local value chains.

The BFAR-SAAD component focuses on enhancing inland aquaculture as a complementary livelihood for marginalized communities. Municipalities such as Don Carlos, Damulog, and Maramag have benefitted from the provision of:

• Tilapia and catfish fingerlings

• Fish cages and pens for lakes and rivers

• Feeds and pond tools

• Technical training and start-up kits for fish farming

SAAD also helps establish community-based aquaculture groups that manage small-scale fishponds or rice-fish integrated systems, promoting food production even in upland or remote barangays.