Camiguin

Camiguin’s limited flatlands are used for the cultivation of coconut, lanzones, rice, corn, root crops, and vegetables. It is especially known for its sweet lanzones, celebrated annually during the Lanzones Festival. Farming is generally small-scale and often integrated with backyard livestock and agroforestry.

Support from DA and the provincial LGU includes organic agriculture training, farm inputs, postharvest equipment, and crop diversification programs. The province is also promoting eco-agriculture and agri-tourism as dual strategies to increase farmer income.

Being an island, Camiguin has a modest but crucial fisheries sector, focused on municipal fishing and small-scale aquaculture. Marine resources include sardines, reef fish, squid, and crabs, often caught by artisanal fisherfolk using traditional methods.

The BFAR-SAAD program, along with local LGU initiatives, has helped distribute fishing gear, boats, and fingerlings, especially to poor coastal barangays. There are also marine protected areas (MPAs) supported by community-based organizations to ensure sustainability.

The Department of Agriculture’s SAAD (Special Area for Agricultural Development) program in Camiguin targets marginalized upland and lowland farmers. The support includes vegetable seeds, corn inputs, fertilizers, small ruminants, poultry, and agri-training.

Municipalities like Guinsiliban and Sagay, where access is limited and income is lower, have been identified as key SAAD areas. The program provides beneficiaries with training on farm management, organizational development, and value-adding skills to transition from subsistence farming to more sustainable and income-generating enterprises.

Projects typically include native chicken raising, vegetable gardening, and integrated farming systems suited to the island’s limited space and terrain. SAAD in Camiguin also encourages the formation of farmers’ associations to improve collective marketing and postharvest practices.