Dinagat farmers, fishers boost income through DA-SAAD livelihood projects
BUTUAN CITY — Farmers and fisherfolk in a coastal village in Dinagat Islands are seeing improved livelihoods through sustained government support under the Department of Agriculture’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program.
The Bayanihan Makugihong Mag-uuma ug Mangingisda Asosasyon (BMMMA), a group of 24 members from Barangay Bayanihan in Libjo town, has been benefiting from agricultural interventions since its organization in 2023.
According to Rhyan Libor, SAAD area coordinator for Dinagat Islands, the group received continuous support for its poultry enterprise, including ready-to-lay chickens, feeds, biologics, and technical training.
Funding assistance reached PHP580,000 in 2023, PHP626,000 in 2024, and PHP125,000 in 2025, all aimed at strengthening the association’s egg production project.
The initiative has yielded strong results, generating over PHP1.5 million in gross sales from egg production between 2023 and early March this year.
In addition to poultry, the group expanded into crop production with PHP250,000 worth of support in 2024 for vegetable and sweet corn farming.
Recent harvests included 181 kilograms of sweet corn, 44 kilograms of bitter gourd (ampalaya), and 119 kilograms of string beans, with total gross earnings of PHP16,188.
BMMMA business manager Jenalyn Menil said the group is focused on sustaining and expanding its projects to better support its members.
She added that part of their earnings will be reinvested this year to increase the number of ready-to-lay chickens and further boost production.
Menil emphasized that government assistance has helped members meet daily needs while supplying fresh agricultural products to local markets across Dinagat Islands.
NPO News Team | News Philippine Agency - PR
