Grasping the opportunity to link agriculture to students, the Department of Agriculture Caraga through the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) joined the Caraga State University’s “Panagtigi 2024” at CSU Main Campus in Ampayon, Butuan City on February 15.
Alongside other government agencies, RAFIS displayed and distributed Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials of new technologies and other updates on agriculture that are beneficial to students.
Moreover, queries from student participants and other stakeholders were also catered.
Joshua May M. Lingatang, a firstyear college student, taking up Bachelor of Science in Agriculture expressed his gratefulness as he took a bunch of IEC materials which he said he can use as
STORY BY LOVELY JOY L. SALUDEZadditional references in pursuing his studies.
“I can’t help myself but pick one of every topic of the booklets because I got interested in agriculture-related IEC materials. It surely is a great guide for me as an agriculture student. Plus, I am amazed that it is written in Cebuano, so, it is easy to understand. I will definitely read all of this,” he exclaimed.
Having seen the influx of students excited to get copies of the IEC materials, Juveriel Tenio, the College of Agriculture and Agri-Business Local Student Government (CAALSG) Governor said that having DA and other agency’s support did make a difference in the successful conduct of PANAGTIGI 2024.
“It is our goal to expose and connect students to the government agencies’ programs
and services, like DA-Caraga, which share the same advocacies with our college. So this is an excellent opportunity,” he said.
Hundreds of IEC materials were distributed to the CSU students which include production guides for High Value Crops, Corn, Rice, and Livestock. There were also materials on technologies being promoted by the DA such as on organic agriculture and urban agriculture, as well as materials on other DA programs and services.
As the information arm of the DA-Caraga, RAFIS extends its information and education campaign through various media platforms, such as audio-video productions, broadcast, and social media, in addition to printed materials.
Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. personally gave agricultural assistance to farmers in Agusan del Sur totaling P3.2 Million on February 16 at the Datu Lipus Makapandong Cultural Center, Patin-ay. These include 2400 bags of certified rice seeds, 495 kilograms of rodenticides, and 4872 pouches of assorted vegetable seeds.
The interventions aim to help them recover from the continuous rain. Agusan del Sur is one of the provinces badly affected by the flood in the early part of February resulting in crop damage.
Cherryl Mae Abundo, 30, a rice farmer from Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, said that if the good weather continues, they will start to replant their 1.39-hectare rice area.
“I am thankful to the DA for providing us with good-quality seeds that could help us cope
DA-Caraga, in coordination with the LGUs, is currently assessing the extent of the damage to infrastructure and agricultural properties.
Secretary Laurel said that the Department is closely working with the LGUs to continuously provide climate resiliency programs wherein technologies and other
effects of natural calamities.
While in Agusan del Sur, President Marcos inspected the ongoing construction of the multi-million state-of-the-art Soil Laboratory funded by the Provincial Government. He was accompanied by Governor Santiago Cane and Congressman Adolph Edward Plaza.
In the midst of the on-going fight against Pestalotiopsis, the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Caraga, the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI), the Local Government Units, farmers’ organizations, and other stakeholders are joining hands in the effort to contain the disease.
On February 23, the DA-Caraga together with the PRRI, conducted a Briefing on Pestalotiopsis to the Local Government Units and Cluster Leaders from rubberproducing areas.
The activity, which was held in Patin-ay, Agusan del Sur, briefed the participants on Pestalotiopsis and the threat it poses on the rubber industry. Technical personnel from the DA, PRRI, and the Bureau of Plant Industry also discussed the various prevention and management methods for the
disease. Moreover, other steps that can be taken to help contain the spread of the disease such as crafting of local policies and ordinances were also discussed.
Pestalotiopsis, otherwise known as leaf fall disease is a disease of rubber caused by a fungal pathogen called Pestalotiopsis microspore, which occurs during prolonged wet weather and high humidity conditions. The disease can infect leaves, shoots, twigs, fruits, and seeds of a rubber tree. It causes defoliation or falling off of leaves up to 80-100% which will affect latex production.
According to Engr. Evangeline P. Garcia, Training Specialist II of the PRRI, most rubber farms infected with Pestalotiopsis were forest-like, had no fertilization, did not observe proper planting distance, and had high density planting. Hence, she
emphasized the importance of sanitation and following the good agricultural management practices to keep crops from getting infected with diseases.
In Caraga, the disease was first observed back in April of last year in two rubber farms in Agusan del Sur, particularly in Brgy. Awao, Sta. Josefa and New Visayas, Trento.
Since the entry of the disease in the region, the DA together with the PRRI, has been continuously exhausting efforts to contain it from spreading. Technical and Information Awareness Campaigns were conducted. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials were also produced and distributed.
The DA-Caraga also deemed it necessary to brief the LGUs about Pestalotiopsis and the grave threat
it poses to the rubber industry of the region if left unattended.
DA-Caraga Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega urged the LGUs to work hand in hand with the DA and the PRRI in addressing the rubber leaf fall disease. She added that the LGUs play a very important role in containing the disease especially in terms of coming up with policies or ordinances to help contain the disease.
“Together, we can achieve more in this fight against Pestalotiopsis,” Atega said.
Prior to the briefing, the DA through the Technical Working Group on Pestalotiopsis conducted field monitoring and validation of rubber farms to determine the extent of infection of the disease in rubber areas. The DA also strengthened its promotion of the use of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum to control the disease. In addition, the DA also distributed fungicides to Pestalotiopsisinfected areas for the treatment of the disease.
Rubber is one of the priority commodities of the region. Data from the Philippine Statistics show that as of the year 2022, Caraga has a total of 13, 176 hectares planted with rubber with an annual production of 17,484.74 metric tons.
A veterinarian from the Provincial Veterinary Office of Agusan del Norte, Dr. Joseph P. Dargantes recently received an award from the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA).
Dr. Dargantes was conferred the 2024 PVMA Outstanding Veterinarian in Rural and Extension Service Award during the 91st PVMA Scientific Conference and Annual Convention last February 21-23, in Bacolod City.
The award was in recognition of the dedication and exemplary performance of Dr. Dargantes who has worked closely with animal raisers in the province of Agusan del Norte for more than 20 years.
He was also instrumental in the first One Health Rabies Program of the country. Together with his colleague Paul Cupay, Dargantes co-created the Rabies Management Information System (RabMIS), a computer information system that records, stores, and maintains databases of the veterinary and human compartments of the One Health Rabies Program. The establishment
of RabMIS was fully supported by Provincial Governor Maria Angelica Rosedell Amante, then Provincial Administrator Percianita Racho, and former Sangguniang Panlalawigan member and now the current Provincial Administrator Elizabeth Marie R. Calo.
Dr. Dargantes is also actively involved in veterinary research, having been one of the country’s pioneering trainees of the Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (AVET). He obtained his Interrisk International Master’s Degree jointly offered by Thailand’s Kasetsart University and France’s Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse with support from CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development).
He also compiled and published his veterinary experiences in a book entitled “This Vet’s Life”.
The PVMA is a counterpart of the Philippine Medical Association which brings together Filipino veterinarians accredited by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC).
The Department of AgricultureCaraga Disaster Risk Reduction Management Unit (DA-Caraga DRRM) reported that over 3,149 Caraga farmers and fisherfolk in Caraga region incurred initial agricultural damages and losses on 4,626 hectares of agricultural areas due to the trough of the LowPressure Area (LPA).
In response, DA-Caraga, through its Rehabilitation Recovery Plan (RRP), has prepared available resources to be distributed once final damage reports from Local Government Units (LGUs) are submitted to the region. Currently, the region has certified rice seed reserves of 2,000 bags, 1,000 bags of inbred rice seeds, 200 bags of hybrid corn seeds (yellow), 155,423 pouches of assorted vegetable seeds, and rodenticides.
Based on the DRRM damage report as of January 30, the overall production volume loss in rice, corn, and high-value crops commodities has reached 3,045
metric tons (MT), affecting 4,625 hectares and 3,149 farmers and fisherfolk. The provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur have been severely affected.
In the rice sector, the loss in production volume totaled 34 metric tons, cultivated across an area of 3,843 hectares. Of this, 3,023 hectares were classified as totally damaged, while the remaining 821 hectares suffered partial damage. A total of 2,561 rice farmers were affected, primarily from the municipalities of San Luis and La Paz in Agusan del Sur.
In the corn sector, the white corn variety has undergone complete destruction, leading to a loss of 1,502 metric tons in production across 334.5 hectares, all of which were classified as total losses. A total of 248 farmers, predominantly from the Municipality of La Paz in Agusan del Sur were impacted.
Meanwhile, the yellow corn variety has incurred total damage,
1,230 metric tons across 54 hectares. The majority of these production areas were classified as totally damaged, particularly in the Municipality of San Luis, Agusan del Sur.
Furthermore, the damage inflicted on high-value crops resulted in a loss of 7 metric tons of production volume, affecting crops planted in the Municipalities of Bunawan in Agusan del Sur and Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur.
Currently, the Field Operations Division of the region, through its Agricultural Program Coordinating Offices (APCO) in the affected provinces, along with the DA-DRRM and the Office of Civil Defense – Caraga Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) Team, are conducting field assessments in various areas to monitor further damages and losses.
Moving forward to the marketing and enterprise development stage for its Phase 2 beneficiaries, the Department of Agriculture –Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Caraga Region cascaded the Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) guidelines to farmers associations and partner local government units (LGUs) through a three-day orientation from February 6 to 8.
Simultaneously conducted in the municipalities of Alegria, Tagana-an, Sison, Malimono, Surigao del Norte, and Remedios T. Romualdez (RTR), Agusan del Norte, SAAD Caraga discussed the importance of market linking methods toward livelihood sustainability to the provincial and municipal program implementers and farmer beneficiaries.
With the groundwork laid and the initial stages of production established, attention of the SAAD project recipients now shifts towards establishing sustainable marketing strategies and enhancing the enterprise’s viability. This process involves comprehensive market research to identify target demographics, assess competitors, and explore potential distribution channels.
In Sison and Malimono, SAAD Associate Project Officer I, Richard Lalisan conducted the orientation for the members of Biyabid SAAD Farmers Association (BiSAFA), Tagbayani SAAD Farmers Association (TagSAFA), Hanagdong
Lakatan Farmers Association (HaLaFA), and Karihatag Poultry Raisers Organization (KPRO) who are beneficiaries of abaca, banana, and poultry projects.
In Alegria and Tagana-an, San Juan Abaca Farmers Association (SJAFA), United Farmers Association of Camp Edward (UFACE), California Farmers Association (CFA), and Union SAAD Farmers Association (USFA) who are also beneficiaries of abaca, cacao, banana, and poultry attended the MAED introduction led by SAAD Associate Project Officer II, Niña Jane Villagonza.
Meanwhile, in RTR, SAAD Associate Project Officer II Ligaya Toroy and SAAD Community Development Officer II for Agusan del Norte Jesza Taala initiated the activity for San Antonio Farmers Organization (SAFO) and Balangbalang Farmers Organization (BAFO), beneficiaries of abaca and banana projects.
During the event, SAAD Caraga personnel discussed the significance of advancing the livelihood ventures of the FAs into CBEs. They encouraged each member of the group to continually aim for selfempowerment through various livelihood training provided by the program and establish reliable market connections to ensure sustainable income generation for the FAs.
Furthermore, as the FAs handle the business and marketing aspects of their agricultural products, a close-in training of the MAED Form
4 which is the Financial Statement Template, and MAED Form 5 or CBE Sales Records Template was also conducted for the chairperson, secretary, treasurer, auditor, and business manager of the FAs to ensure accuracy of financial monitoring reports.
This series of MAED guidelines cascading activities is conducted to translate the four (4) program components of SAAD phase 2 into reality focusing on reinforcing the viability of an FA’s prospective business undertakings that could potentially open future opportunities to its members and nearby communities.
As steps forward, SAAD Caraga will be assisting its FA beneficiaries by initiating Market Identification and Market Mapping studies to empower the FAs to reach the full marketability of their agricultural products by identifying its target customers and market location that will eventually yield profit sustainability.
Vanessa
Vernon