SAVE program launched to help farmers, fisher folks

DAVAO ORIENTAL—A new program aiming to defeat poverty by boosting the agricultural productivity of marginalized farmers has recently been launched in the province. The program called Sustainable Agriculture Village Enterprise (SAVE) was launched in line with the celebration of the Farmers and Fisher Folks Month celebration at the Provincial Agriculture Office Compound in the City of Mati.

According to Provincial Agriculture Department Head Rotchie Ravelo last week, SAVE targets to reach more farmers through farmer associations and is touted to help the province achieve 100 percent rice sufficiency level. Currently, the province’s rice sufficiency is at 93%.

During the Farmers and Fisher Folks’ celebration recently, new farming technologies had been introduced and various equipment and freebies were turned over to different farmer organizations from different municipalities during the grand celebration through the interventions of the agricultural agencies of the province. Among the turned over equipment were one unit of mechanical rice transplanter to each of the rice-producing towns of Lupon, Governor Generoso, and Banaybanay; one unit four-wheel drive vehicle to Boston Municipal Government. Through drawing of lots, five farmers received one goat each while one farmer received a carabao. Cacao and coffee planters were also given cacao seedlings and 700 pruning shears.

BFAR, on the other hand, distributed four sets of fish sorting tables and an aquarium to the Municipal Government of Boston. Fishing gears were likewise dispensed to fisherfolk of eleven LGUs. DA Regional Director Ricardo Oñate assured everyone the continuity of the agricultural programs and projects for the province in accordance with their mandate which is to establish affordable food.

Governor Nelson Dayanghirang conferred awards to outstanding farmers who excelled in farming while also giving recognition to Outstanding Agriculture Technicians, the Municipal Agricultural Officer (MAO), and Municipal Agricultural Services Office (MASO). The Agrikulturang Makamasa Barangay Extension Technician (AMBET) of the 183 barangays have likewise received an annual honorarium of P6,000.00. The AMBETs are village members who serve as the Provincial Government’s partners in introducing new technologies and in distributing machineries and other farm implements to the farming and fishing villages. (Riza M. Golez | Mati)