The Department of AgricultureCaraga and the Local Government Unit of Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte, in partnership with the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (ANECO) conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Modernized Swine Facility last September 14.
Under the Community-based Swine Production Repopulation and Expansion Project of the National Livestock Program (NLP), the facility worth P5 million pesos will be constructed at Sitio Subait, Bonifacio, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte under the Kahugpungan sa Katawhan sa Subait Multipurpose Cooperative (KKSMC). This could cater to up to 300 heads of pigs. As a start, the initial stocking of 150 heads will be catered by the LGU Las Nieves worth P1.5 million pesos. In addition, ANECO Inc. through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program lodged under the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP), has provided a free service line to cater to the power supply of the facility totaling to P300,000.00.
DA Caraga Regional Livestock Coordinator Jekem Sanchez said
that the first 300 heads of hogs will be used as fatteners to produce a sufficient supply of hogs and pork in the municipality of Las Nieves and Butuan City.
Municipal Mayor Karen S. Rosales acknowledged the efforts of the different public and private groups in helping them revive the swine industry in the municipality citing that hog farming has always been the source of income for many Las Nievesnons.
“If we can sustain the meat supply in Las Nieves, it will open other livelihood opportunities thereby creating a multiplier effect not just in Sitio Subait but other barangays as well,” Mayor Rosales said.
On the other hand, Regional Executive Director Engr. Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr. highlighted the region’s flagship program on Sustainable Feed Formulation indicating that one of the big contributors to operational cost in any type of livestock farming such as hog raising is feed. Thus, utilizing local food sources such as corn, soybean, and fishmeal will be cost-effective.
The project under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program of the DA aims to implement calibrated repopulation and enhancement of the local swine industry and recover the sector’s capacity to locally produce a sufficient supply of hogs and pork.
As part also of INSPIRE’s swine repopulation program, five (5) sentinel pigs were distributed to ASF-affected backyard hog raisers in the municipality. The sentineling program is a science-based preparation for hog repopulation in the ASF-stricken towns and cities to ascertain if the said disease is no longer present in the previously affected area.
Present as well during the groundbreaking ceremony is Engr. Darwin Daymiel, General Manager of ANECO, Inc., Genome Jun A. Fortun of the Office of Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Provincial Agriculturist Alvin Aclan representing Governor Angel Amante, and SB Board Members of LGU Las Nieves.
Farmers and cooperators from Productive Farmers Taligaman Antongalon Association participate in the field day and identify the suitable rice varieties to be cultivated under a rainfed and irrigated systems.
Heeding the tall order of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. to boost local production of food, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga through the Research Division conducted the Field Day Cum Preference Analysis under the NextGen Project for 2nd Semester 2022 in Barangay Antongalon, Butuan City on September 22.
The activity aims to identify the best-performing rice varieties under a rainfed and irrigated ecosystem based on physical performance, resistance to pests and diseases, and yield potential.
Three months ago, seven rice varieties were planted at the 504 square meters demo site. Farmers and cooperators from Productive Farmers Taligaman Antongalon Association participated in the selection of the top-performing varieties.
Reynan P. Mamalis, NextGen Focal Person said that initial results identified the most suitable variety to be cultivated in the said area.
“These seven varieties that underwent trial are droughttolerant varieties which are appropriate in this area. Through this study, we can give the exact and real information to the farmers on what variety is best,” he said.
The result showed the top 3 varieties based on farmer’s choice, namely RC 480, RC 568, and RC 574.
After the preferential evaluation, Joan B. Dela Torre, Butuan City Rice Coordinator announced that a sensory evaluation will also be conducted for the different rice varieties which will be milled, cooked, and tasted by the farmers to know their eating quality and preference.
Shirley Espora, Chairperson of the Antongalon Farmers Association said that the study is timely and relevant especially since farmers are having difficulty in selling palay because of its low quality.
“If we want to command good prices, we should plant better quality rice seeds and based on
consumer’s preference,” she said.
Barangay Antongalon is one of the seven study sites in the Caraga Region. The other sites are in the Barangays of Lingayao, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte; Kapatungan, Trento, Agusan del Sur; Bunawan, Brook, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur; Pasta, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Alipao, Alegria, Surigao del Norte; and Calagdaan, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur.
NextGen varieties are product of recent advances in plant breeding and is subjected to multi-location testing both by scientists and farmers to identify and select the best - performing variety for a particular ecosystem.
It is an initiative under the rice sector strategy of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
STORY BY RHEA C. ABAO
Around 100 local Agripreneurs in the Caraga region were given direct access to consumers through the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investments in Regional Exposition (ASPIRE) last September 2-4 at Robinsons Place, Butuan City.
ASPIRE is a program staged by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Government Agencies, and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Local Government Units.
The three-day trade fair is an agribusiness and marketing exposition aimed at integrating
market development support services for farmers, fisherfolk, micro and small medium enterprises (MSMEs), and other stakeholders.
Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) Chief Lynn A. Pareñas said that the collaborative efforts of various government agencies manifest strong partnerships that unlock the potential of aspiring Agripreneurs and enhance the capacities of the micro and small-medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
Aside from product promotion, ASPIRE also informs farmers and fishers on how to avail of loans with a lower interest rate from the DA-Agricultural Credit
Policy Council.
Pareñas also encouraged Agri-fishery-based entrepreneurs to register with the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Information System (FFEDIS) to strengthen digital marketing.
The FFEDIS is a web-based information system required for group enterprises and entrepreneurs that allows them to avail of Agri-fishery based assistance such as grants, loans, and other programs of the DA. This will also generate the farmer’s profile that will serve as a basis to ensure the legitimacy of the organization and prioritization of their request later.
There are 160 enterprises currently registered in FFEDIS while 47 are under verification. Most of these enterprises are microenterprises. Fifty-eight percent (58%) are under sole proprietorship; 47% are cooperatives and 20% are registered FFEDIS associations.
Moreover, the trade fair also recognized the local agripreneurs and their products and the efforts of the local government units’ participation through the DA’s Special Award for New Product presented by AMAD Chief Lynn A. Pareñas. She was assisted by RAFC Caraga Chairperson Christopher Lindo and Butuan City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Christina Hemady Arcillas.
One of the new products recognized is the Langkawasuka Spicy Sinamak by Jhonie Celino, proprietor of Elroi Food Products in Trento, Agusan del Sur. Celino began his venture in 2020 and is grateful for the opportunity and the recognition he received.
“I am very thankful to the provincial head of Agusan del Sur, to the Department of Agriculture, and to the ASPIRE organizers for giving me the chance to exhibit and promote my product. I was able to learn more ideas as a novice agripreneur by exchanging experiences with other entrepreneurs. Moreover, it allowed me to work with other government agencies allowing me to access programs that could benefit my growing business,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) – Caraga in coordination with the Local Government Units has been distributing the Fertilizer Discount Vouchers to rice farmers in Surigao del Norte and the Province of Dinagat Islands from August 18 until September 9.
The intervention benefited 7,919 rice farmers in the Province of Surigao del Norte and 2,918 in the Province of Dinagat Islands. Each voucher is equivalent to P1,131 per hectare for farms planted with inbred seeds, and P2,262 per hectare for hybrid seeds.
Fertilizer vouchers are given to farmers registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and are recipients of the rice seeds from the DA-Caraga Rice Program in the current planting season.
Rice Program Focal Person Marisa Garces of DA-Caraga said that the discount voucher can be exchanged for inorganic and organic fertilizers at accredited merchants in the region. “As the prices of inorganic fertilizers continue to increase, the DA promotes the Balance Fertilization Strategy, which combines inorganic and organic fertilizers,” she added
In the Caraga Region, non-Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) areas such as Surigao del Norte and the Province of Dinagat Islands are the focus of the fertilizer support through the DA National Rice Program according to Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr
“Our interventions are strategized to optimize the Department’s funds. This is our approach to aid the rice farmers in non-RCEF areas; to increase their productivity and ensure food security in their respective provinces, particularly because they are classified as island provinces,” Director Oñate said.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority, the average yield of rice production in Surigao del Norte and the Province of Dinagat Islands in 2021 were 3.36 metric tons and 2.72 metric tons, respectively.
As DA-Caraga continues to provide various interventions in the non-RCEF provinces, it is expected to contribute to the increase in production by at least 3-5% this year.
agriculture industry and become resilient, despite many challenges
Meanwhile, Butuan City Agriculturist Engr. Pierre Anthony D. Joven assured that the City Government of Butuan will always implement programs in collaboration with DA to uplift the lives of the farmers.
“We are one in the hope that Programs like this will continue, not just now, but also in the future. Please know that our government is working for you,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga through the Regional Corn Program conducted a distribution caravan on the Fertilizer Discount Subsidy for corn and cassava farmers in identified areas in Caraga Region.
This was after the regional launching held at DA-Caraga Covered Court in Butuan City on September 1.
The project aims to sustain the fertilizer application of farmerbeneficiaries and increase the yield level of corn and cassava amid the surging and volatile prices of fertilizers.
“We know that we are facing challenges, especially the increasing price of fertilizers, so I hope you will use this to continue planting,” Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca Atega said.
During the regional launch, 217 corn and cassava farmers in Butuan City received discount
vouchers worth P2,000.
Melody Guimary, OIC of the Field Operations Division disclosed that a total of 1,986 farmers were identified to benefit from the subsidy program with an allocation of P3.8 million.
“We hear your sentiments regarding your difficulty in buying the sufficient rate of fertilizers for your crop due to its current price. Through this discount voucher, your expenses for fertilizer would be reduced and your productivity and profitability will increase,” she said.
Guimary explained that the recipients were endorsed by the local government units and were registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), and part of the identified corn-cassava cluster areas.
Christopher H. Lindo, Chair of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council, encouraged the farmers, to continue to support the
Atty. William Christian Dela Cruz of the Office of Representative Jose Aquino II also echoed the support of the congressman for the farmers in the first district comprising the City of Butuan and the Municipality of Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.
One of the beneficiaries from Barangay San Mateo, Emilio Dapiton was grateful to the DA for the assistance he received.
“I will use this P2,000 voucher to buy additional fertilizers for my next planting. This is a great help,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sarah Ingking of Manila de Bugabos said that the discount voucher would help her reduce the fertilizer expenses for her corn farm.
The discount vouchers are for one-time use only and may be claimed at any accredited fertilizer merchant and can be used by farmer-beneficiaries to purchase inorganic fertilizers.
STORY BY LOVELY JOY L. SALUDEZ
As part of the continuing collaboration between the government and private sector, the Provincial, Municipal, and City chairpersons and coordinators of the Regional Agricultural Fishery Council (RAFC) of the Caraga Region convened for the 3rd Caraga-wide AFC Day on September 27 in Butuan City.
The activity was anchored in the theme “AFC for 3Cs: Collaboration, Convergence, Cooperation Towards Food Security.”
OIC-Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Julieta Opulencia joined the event with her video message and lauded AFC members who are supporting the government’s effort toward Agri-fishery development in the region.
“Your service is laudable. You are volunteering your time and expertise for the Agri and fishery development of the country. You are bringing the voice of the region’s marginalized farmers and fisherfolks,” she said.
The event highlighted the sharing of best practices of DA and LGU toward a resilient region amid the pandemic and economic challenges that inspires implementing agencies for more impactful projects and strengthens rapport among AFC members.
Edilito Sangco, Municipal Agriculturist of Socorro, Surigao del Norte, discussed the Socorro Agri-Fishery Enterprise Development Program (SAFEDP):
The performing Agricultural and Fisheries Council (AFC) chairpersons and coordinators all over the Caraga Region receive a certificate of recognition as a way of acknowledging their support to the government in contributing to agri-fishery development.
Progressing Farmers and Fisherfolk Out of Poverty which includes the Task Force Panguma ug Pangisda 2022-2025 blueprint that aims for a food-secure Socorro with productive, profitable, and resilient Agri-fishery industry.
DA-Caraga also presented the OneDA Sustainable Feed Development Project dubbed Team Bahug highlighting the use of locally available raw materials. On the other hand, while Butuan City Agriculturist Engr. Pierre Anthony Joven presented their AgriBoost Project, a Smart and Inclusive Agribusiness Model.
After the discussions, a workshop was conducted to develop policy recommendations for the sector’s continuous development anchored on the Agri-fishery sector’s current challenges.
For more than 30 years, the
AFC has served as a partner of the government from the grassroots level in consideration of the Agrifishery issues and concerns and translating these into policy and program recommendations for the government decision-makers.
