In a significant boost to local agriculture, the Department of Agriculture’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program has allocated PHP36.3 million to support 28 farmers’ associations across Caraga in 2024. This financial aid, aimed at enhancing food production and livelihood projects, has reached 726 individuals in the regions of Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.
The bulk of the funding, PHP26.1 million, was directed towards 20 associations in Surigao del Norte, including the Siargao Islands, to support diverse agricultural ventures such as egg, goat, abaca, pineapple, cacao, vegetable, and banana production. The program’s objective is to foster sustainable agricultural development and improve the livelihoods of these farming communities.
In Agusan del Norte, two associations in Remedios T. Romualdez town received PHP3.59 million to further their agricultural efforts. Meanwhile, in Dinagat Islands, six associations focusing on egg production were granted PHP6.64 million.
The SAAD program not only aids in increasing food production but also assists in expanding the market reach of the farmers’ products within the region. The initiative is part of a broader effort to establish community-based enterprises that can serve as a sustainable income source for these associations.
Recent distributions under the 2024 SAAD budget included 200 bags of insecticides and 546 bags of organic fertilizers, valued at PHP526,800, to 10 associations in Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte, further supporting high-value crop production.