To strengthen agricultural productivity and improve farmers’ income, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) MIMAROPA awarded Php 1,943,904 worth of livelihood support to two (2) farmer associations in Santa Maria, Romblon on April 15.
The beneficiaries were the Bonga Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, engaged in root crops production, and the Concepcion Sur Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, involved in broiler chicken raising.
The Bonga FFA received a tiller cultivator, planting materials for peanut, ube, and ginger, and a digital hanging scale. Meanwhile, Concepcion Sur FFA was provided with a poultry house, tri-wheel hauling vehicle, broiler chicks, rechargeable solar lights, and an ice box cooler.
Local officials, including Mayor Lorilie M. Fabon, Provincial Agriculturist Relly Diokno, Mr. Jun Fiedacan representing Governor Trina F. Fabic, Municipal Agriculturist Engr. Ramel L. Fabon, and Romblon Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Engr. Analiza A. Escarilla, attended the turnover ceremony. They encouraged the beneficiaries to maximize and sustain the support provided.
DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Food Production and Livelihood (FPL) Cluster Lead Engr. Maiden Marie M. Segui said the assistance aims to increase production, support daily needs, and strengthen farmers’ livelihoods.
“Ang gusto po natin, ‘yong produksyon po ninyo ay mapataas po natin, matustusan ang inyong araw-araw na pamumuhay, mapataas ang food production, at magkaroon kayo ng livelihood. Sana po [ay] tuloy-tuloy ang ating pagbabayanihan,” Segui said.
[What we want is for your production to increase, for your daily living to be sustained, to increase food production, and for you to have a livelihood. We hope that our spirit of bayanihan will continue.]
Rogel Moreno, president of Bonga FFA shared that the support will reduce their production costs and will help sustain their association.
“Maraming-maraming salamat po sa lahat ng interventions na ibinigay ni SAAD. Hindi na kami bibili ng pantanim. Kung hindi dahil sa SAAD, hindi nabuo ang aming asosasyon at hindi kami nabigyan lahat [ng interventions],” he said.
[Thank you very, very much for all the interventions provided by SAAD. We will no longer buy planting materials. If it were not for SAAD, our association would not have been formed and not all of us would have received interventions.]
The local government of Santa Maria also expressed continued support to the SAAD Program, citing its shared goal of developing farmer groups into community-based enterprises.
“Nakakatuwa lang na yong aming adhikain sa Pamahalaang Bayan ng Santa Maria ay sumabay din ‘yong layunin din ng national government agencies, especially ang DA-SAAD, na may mga grupo na maging community-based enterprise. Kaya sinusuportahan namin ito ng buo, dahil iisa lang naman kami ng layunin na gagawin,” said MAO Fabon.
[We are glad that our goal in the Municipal Government of Santa Maria is aligned with the objective of national government agencies, especially DA-SAAD, that groups will become community-based enterprises. That is why we fully support it, because we have the same goal to achieve.]
Aside from Bonga and Concepcion Sur FFAs, four (4) other farmer groups in the municipality are also supported under the program through projects on crops, livestock, and poultry.
