SOME six local government units and 665 marginalized farmers in Northern have availed agricultural services via a special area for agricultural development program of the Department of Agriculture Region-10, in a report received Wednesday.
The program was also intended for the beneficiaries whose livelihoods were affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“As a special program of the Department, SAAD aims to uplift the lives of poor farmers in Northern Mindanao,” said DA-10 regional technical director for operations Carlota S. Madriaga, adding, “by adopting six other towns in the region this year.”
Madriaga who heads Saad program, said with the expansion, the program is anticipated to aid another 665 poorest of the poor farmers.
“Increasing the total figure of SAAD-assisted farming constituents in the region to 3,452 individuals,” Madriaga said.
The farmer-beneficiaries were profiled and validated by DA-SAAD-10 last year and earlier this year.
The six municipalities who joined to SAAD-10’s existing roster of 24 beneficiaries were Aloran and Don Victoriano Chiongbian in Misamis Occidental; Magsaysay and Munai in Lanao del Norte, and; Lantapan and Sumilao in Bukidnon.
The SAAD-implementing LGUs are identified based on Philippine Statistics Authority’s official poverty statistics.
Upon intent and commitment by the local executives, towns with the highest poverty incidence are considered for inclusion to the SAAD program of DA-10.
The program provides the farmers capacitating and enabling agricultural interventions to develop them as enterprising farmers.
The beneficiaries, depending on their proposal, are due to receive agri-livelihood projects such as rice and corn production and vegetable, livestock production, including modern farming machinery and equipment, this year. (Angie Cabig with Azbie Talib/DA-10)
