The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program gathered farmer-representatives from 36 farmers association (FA) and seven (7) Local Government Units (LGU) partners to assess the FY 2026 1st semester project implementation and address issues and concerns vital for the sustainable execution of the program from July 14 to 17, 2026 in Jaro, Iloilo.
Ms. Sheryl Mae T. Gaylan, Operational Planning Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation (OPBME) Unit Head, encouraged the participants to actively participate and share honestly their reports in order to address relevant concerns. All participating FAs finalized their reports with the guidance of the LGU representatives and area coordinators for presentation.
Each participating FAs highlighted their accomplishments emphasizing their innovations, collaborations and sharing which enabled them to overcome encountered challenges. They were also delighted to present the daily successes each member of their associations attained.
Technical persons from the Provincial Veterinary Offices and Provincial Agriculture Offices of Iloilo, Guimaras, Aklan, and Antique provided feedback, recommendations and practical inputs to help strengthen project management and ensure the long-term sustainability of the livelihood interventions.
Among the notable initiatives presented was the fertilizer lending scheme of the San Florentino Food Garden Association (SaFFGA), wherein members may borrow urea fertilizer from the association until they were able to replace the urea with a new stock. This system prevents prolonged storage of fertilizer, ensures that stocks remain fresh. Meanwhile, the Sitio Ilaya Pudiot Tangalan Farmers Association of Tangalan, Aklan showcased its value-adding initiatives by producing banana chips and banana fries, creating an additional source of income alongside its banana production enterprise.
The panel also commended the associations for maintaining comprehensive financial records, recognizing sound financial management as a key factor in sustaining livelihood projects. The participants raised various concerns related to native chicken, high-value crops, and poultry production, which were addressed through technical recommendations and discussions with the panel.
Mr. Arnold Balairos of the SaFFGA in San Rafael, Iloilo shared the association’s journey toward Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) Certification stressing the challenges they overcame, the best practices they adopted, and the innovative strategies that contributed to their success. His presentation and a video presentation served as a valuable knowledge-sharing session, encouraging other farmers’ associations to adopt similar practices and fostering a culture of continuous learning among DA-SAAD beneficiaries. ###
