DA turns over P6.3-M livestock project to Surigao Norte cooperatives
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga recently turned over an egg production project to three farmers’ cooperatives in Surigao del Norte under the program Livestock Economic Enterprise Development (LEED).
In partnership with the provincial government of Surigao del Norte through the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVET), the beneficiaries are the Bacuag Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (BAFCO) in the municipality of Bacuag, San Isidro Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SIMPUCO) in Gigaquit, and San Francisco Anao-Aon Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (SAFFAC) in San Francisco.
The P6.3-million livestock project with each package valued at ₱2.1 million, comprising housing and chicken cages, 1,000 ready-to-lay (RTL) chickens, feed, vitamins, drugs, and biologics.
Alongside DA were PVET, and municipal agriculture offices, which provided technical assistance to the beneficiaries.
The turnover was led by Ivy Kristine Wamar, regional livestock program coordinator, together with provincial officials led by Provincial Veterinarian Life Shiela Cubillanes, and local municipal agriculturists.
“DA Caraga, under the leadership of Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate Jr., remains steadfast in fulfilling our duty to support your livelihoods for the development of the agricultural sector through implemented programs,” Wamar said.
Meanwhile, the chairpersons of the three cooperatives expressed their gratitude for the assistance received from the government.
“We are deeply joyful to be given this project, which will significantly help our families’ livelihoods. We are committed to taking good care of it and making it grow,” said Judith Lincuna, chairperson of BAFCO.
With previous turnovers in Placer, Mainit, and now Bacuag, Gigaquit, and San Francisco, the provincial government and DA Caraga are steadily building a decentralized network of egg producers across the province.
PVET also said that they are thankful to Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers for continuous support in bolstering local livelihoods and strengthening food security.
Aligned with the food security agenda of President Ferdinand R.Marcos Jr., the LEED is designed to transform subsistence-level livestock and poultry raising into sustainable enterprise-level operations. Instead of small individual handouts, the program works through cooperatives, allowing farmers to pool resources, manage supply chains, and market products collectively. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from DA Caraga)