Laua-an’s chicken production project to boost farmer’s income

By Liez’l Marie Lamasan

 

SAN JOSE, Antique – Farmers in Laua-an, Antique are expected to have increased income, with the aid of the Department of Agriculture’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) projects, particularly the native chicken production amounting to P210,000.

Under the initiative, the DA recently distributed 300 heads of native chicken to the farmer beneficiaries of five farmer associations in the town.

These farmer groups such as Latazon Tigunhao Guiamon, Ratanila Cluster Level Association, Lactudan, Lupa-an, and Necesito farm association each received 60 heads of native chicken breeder stocks.

Arjun Garcinela, Laua-an municipal agricultural officer, expressed his appreciation to the agriculture department for selecting the town as one of the pilot recipients of SAAD projects.

“Laua-an is considered as one of the deprived areas for government projects. But now, with SAAD interventions, the livestock, poultry farmers, and also the women and persons with disabilities here are assisted especially that most of them had lost their livelihood due to pandemic,” said Garcinela.

In a press release, DA conveyed it will distribute additional 300 heads of native chicken to the FA beneficiaries of Laua-an.

Garcinela likewise mentioned that a technical support will be provided to the farmer-beneficiaries of the native chicken stocks.

“We are encouraging our farmers to immediately report disease incidents or mortalities of native chicken, and to get their stocks insured with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ratanila FA president Marcelina Labanon shared that such agriculture livelihood project is a great help especially at the height of the COVID-19 health crisis.

Labanon cited that DA-SAAD has granted farm hand tractor and thresher, rice, and corn seeds, as well as goat project to their association since 2019.

She also hoped for her fellows to strive with the assistance given so that other farmer members will benefit from it.

To note, the province of Antique is one of the two pilot provinces of SAAD last year.

According to DA, the province’s poorest municipalities became qualified to avail of the different interventions from seeds and fertilizers to farm machinery, poultry, and livestock animals. (LTP/LML-PIA6 Antique/with reports from DA-6)