DA Express - October 2020

Volume 7 - Issue 10 | October 2020

Showcasing Caraga Agri Products through Various Platforms By: Vanessa P. Sanchez

AGRIKULTURA. AMAD presents their marketing initiatives through the OSAC and the launching of the AgriKultura application during Secretary William D. Dar’s visit in Butuan City. Fred Abrea

Leaving no stones unturned in its pursuit for development of the farmers, fisherfolk, and Agrientrepreneurs in the region, the Department of Agriculture(DA) – Caraga through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) is tapping various portals to showcase the region’s agriculture and fishery products.

During DA Secretary William D. Dar’s visit in Caraga on October 22 & 23, DA – Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo and AMAD Chief Lynn A. Pareñas presented the various initiatives of DA-Caraga to assist the farmers, fishers, and local Agri processors to

market their products.

One such marketing initiative was the One-Stop Agribusiness Center (OSAC) which was launched early this year. It is an agribusiness hub and a showroom for Caraga’s agricultural and fishery products.

Located at the DA-Caraga grounds, OSAC serves as an avenue for farmers and agri-processors to promote and sell their products, as well as to connect and negotiate with suppliers and buyers. Sec. Dar led the unveiling of the OSAC marker.

On the other hand, the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita mobile market has been done regularly since the COVID 19

pandemic hit the country. Kadiwa is a marketing strategy that connects the farmers and Agri-processors direct to the consumers. Through the Kadiwa, the consumers are given an opportunity to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and other fishery products, fresh and frozen meat and poultry products, as well as some dry goods, right at the premises of their community.

In addition to the two aforementioned initiatives, DA-Caraga has also tapped the online portal to market Agri-fishery commodities.

DA-Caraga’s AMAD partnered with | Continue to page 4...

REGIONAL UPDATE

Poultry: Farmer’s Hope on Heavy Rains By: Mark Angelo Pineda

earned Php 19,529.00 from eggs and off. However, they only need the existchicks’ sales. Rightfully, it is poultry that ing committed members to stand the assures CCGA members have income test of time. even on rainy days.

Among the ones who remained Making it work committed to the project is Edilberto Frias— a senior, who spends an hour a

Introducing poultry in a week at the site to fulfill his tasks. corn-dominated area is not far-fetched; “I’m a widower and have been chickens feed on corn, after all. But advised to take less-demanding tasks. because the project was relatively new So, I take part in feeding our chickens to the community, some locals had and in maintaining the poultry house their share of reservations. well kept. This is my spare-time

The climate in Surigao del Sur

activity aside from gardening,” is characterized by year-round rainfall

Rezie recounts that expressed Edilberto. with annual precipitation of 4175 mm. incorporating poultry into their daily This phenomenon results in light to routine proved to be challenging. “At

According to Rezie, poultry is moderate flooding beginning in easy, but you have to invest your time November and ending in June that only the start, the majority of CCGA members were reluctant. Though and effort for it to thrive.“As the rice can withstand, according to president, I take it upon myself to lead association president Rezie Mollaneda. government support is not new to us, this is the first poultry in the my members. We have implemented a community. It’s not entirely laborious, schedule for everyone to participate in

“In Cancavan, most lowland but it took us time to get the hang of the labor. We have the inputs areas suitable for rice and corn are it.” necessary for production. It is time and flooded by the end of the year. This is effort that are required of us, especially the reason why we readily take any

As found, both economic in monitoring the chickens,” shared opportunity, be it producing other conditions and community factors Rezie. crops in upland areas or raising affected the success of the animals, to support our families’ interventions. Inputs-wise, CCGA is

As to the status of the project, needs,” shared Rezie. sufficient with SAAD-funded farm Rezie admits that they have just begun. inputs that will cover its production until “We are through with the adjustment

This is where the Native 2021. Turns out, that the cooperation period. With the steady income coming Chicken Production Project of the of the community was another hurdle in, we’ll eventually fulfill our goals that Special Area for Agricultural that CCGA had to face. include joining the leading suppliers of Development (SAAD) Program of the native chicken products in Department of Agriculture - Caraga has

“It did not help that people CarCanMadCarLan (the northernmost proven useful. Part of assisting small outside the association have had quarter of SDS).” farmers in establishing incomedoubts as to the success of the generating livelihoods, the program project,” added Rezie. “Here, some

Later this year, the group will introduces small farmers to locals had inherent doubts with receive additional 160 native chickens, manageable and sustainable which they needed to boost their egg livelihoods that can endure the driest or government-funded projects. They were all ears waiting for our downfall. production. These inputs are on top wettest days.

And this affected the mindset of some of the vegetable and corn seeds (OPV members. To date, almost half of the and hybrid) and fertilizers (complete

In December 2019, CCGA members have withdrawn from the and ammonium sulfate) which they received 90 native chickens, a poultry project. acquired earlier this year, totaling to an house with a perimeter fence, feed, amount of Php 203,594.77. incubator, water plastic drum, and

From the original 35 members, drugs and biologics all amounting to the CCGA has been reduced to 20

Diversifying farm produce, Php 516,000.00. members (17 males and 3 females), which the association is pioneering nine months after the poultry kicked with the poultry in their community, is

As of August 2020, they have

Rice and corn production have been the primary livelihoods of the Cancavan Corn Growers Association (CCGA), a SAAD-funded farmers’ group in Carmen, Surigao del Sur. The first half of the year beginning March is for corn planting while rice is November. While these practices are fixed in the community, they leave some farmers idle when heavy rainfall floods the lowland areas.

REGIONAL UPDATE

Agusan del Norte LCE Lauds DA-NFA’s Palay Procurement Program

PALAY PROCUREMENT PROGRAM. The DA-NFA continues to procure palay from the local farmers at the farm-gate price of P19.00 per kilo at 14% Moisture Content. Arcur Ahmad

By: Aurelius P. Arais

The Local Chief Executive of Las Nieves, Agusan del Note lauded the government’s palay procurement program through the Department of Agriculture-National Food Authority (DA-NFA) for buying palay from the local farmers.

“With the low buying price of the private traders, the government procurement program allows our farmers to earn more,” Mayor Avelina Rosales said.

The buying price of DA-NFA is P19.00 per kilo, clean and dry, much higher than the private traders.

Amielou Jane Mendoza, information officer of DA-NFA Caraga revealed that based on their monitoring, private traders are buying from the farmers at the average price of P14.63 per kilo for fresh harvest and P16.95 per kilo for clean and dry.

Rosales is grateful to NFA for establishing a buying station in their town catering to the harvest of Las Nieves rice farmers.

“As our contribution to the government procurement program, the local government unit is assisting our farmers to have their fresh harvest dried in the Village Type Dryer (VTD) provided by the DA-Caraga for a very minimal fee,” Leonito Pasquito, the Municipal Agriculturist said.

Farmers who will bring in their fresh harvest on the VTD will just have to pay .85 cents per kilo, and DA-NFA will buy the dried palay, thus ensuring a sure market of farmer’s produce at a higher price.

“We are so thankful to the Department of Agriculture for giving us a Village Type Dryer capable of processing both corn and rice, it is a big boost for our farmers in the locality,” Pasquito explained.

Las Nieves is a recipient of two Village Type Dryer from the Department of Agriculture, one located at Brgy.

Pinanaan, and another one at Brgy.

Malitacato, and some Multi-Purpose Drying Pavement (MPDP) through various farmer’s association.

“As of October 17, 2020, our VTD had already dried around 12,000 bags and the dried palay had been purchased by DA-NFA,” Pasquito revealed.

He said that as the harvest of corn is also on the way, the post-harvest facility is a big boost to the locality’s agriculture sector.

DA is assisting the farmers through the provision of pre and post-harvest facility (PPHF) to minimize losses and maintain the quality of the products.

Recently, Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo visited the project and other DAassisted interventions to ensure continuous food production amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

DA Express | Vol. 7-Issue 10 | OCTOBER 2020 | Page 3

REGIONAL UPDATE | from page 1... Showcasing the private organization Sprout Lab IT Services for the creation of the Agrikultura Kadiwa Online, an e-commerce platform for fresh agricultural produce. It aims to provide farmers, fisherfolk, and local processors with direct market linkage among institutional buyers, manufacturers, and individual customers through an online platform. On the other hand, it provides consumers easy access to affordable agricultural products delivered directly to their households. Further, it aims to minimize foot traffic in public markets to help contain the spread of the Coronavirus disease.

Sec. Dar was on a two-day visit in the region to grace the culmination of the National Rice Techno Forum as well as to meet up with agriculture stakeholders of the region.

“I move around the country to inspire and bring hope to the frontliners of the agriculture industry despite the pandemic and to make the presence of the government be felt,” Dar said.

Dar also went around Butuan City and Agusan del Norte to visit various agricultural projects, as well as to the Agricultural Training Institute and PhilRice Agusan. | from page 2... Poultry: an important component of economic growth that also helps achieve food security and increases employment in rural areas, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

For most small farmers, all it takes is an opportunity to make a leap of faith. Truly, CCGA is on the right track.

Page 4 | DA Express | Vol. 7-Issue 10 | OCTOBER 2020

From Ink to Link Towards Development By: Aurelius P. Arais

A project proposal is a stepping stone towards the realization of a much-needed change and development.

The said training which is a collaboration of DA-Caraga Regional Office and DA-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI).

Thus, the Department of Agriculture-Caraga conducted specialized training for its staff for a project proposal writing dubbed as “Writing a Winning Project Proposal In Response to COVID-19 Pandemic” last Sept. 8-10, 2020 for the first batch and October 6-8, 2020 for the second batch.

”This training aimed to capacitate DA personnel especially those at the forefront of assisting our farmer associations or organizations in coming up with a viable project proposal,” Rebecca Atega, OICRegional Technical Director for Operations said.

With the current guidelines on accessing government financial support or project will be proposal-based, the training is a big boost for DA-Caraga frontliners.

“In my experience, a winning proposal must include the farmers in conceptualizing and drafting stage to make it viable and realistic,” said Dr. Victor Emmanuel Ozarraga, a consultant of Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation and resource person of the training.

Ozarraga said that any financial institutions whether government or private will finance a project if the proposal itself not just speaks about the importance of the project but how attainable.

Editorial Team Editor in Chief

Emmylou T. Presilda

Writers

Aurelius P. Arais Vanessa P. Sanchez Rhea C. Abao Kent Warren H. Fugoso Mark Angelo C. Pineda

Lay-out Artist

Kent Warren H. Fugoso

Photographers

Enrick M. Tiquil Wilfredo C. Abrea

Admin Staff

Grace Y. Makiling

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