The Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture in Region 10 amplified its agricultural services in Northern Mindanao by adopting six other towns in the region this year.

With the expansion, the SAAD program is anticipated to aid another 665 poorest of the poor farmers, increasing the total figure of SAAD-assisted farming constituents in the region to 3,452 individuals.

The farmer-beneficiaries were profiled and validated by DA-SAAD-10 last year and earlier this year.

The municipalities of Aloran and Don Victoriano Chiongbian in Misamis Occidental; Magsaysay and Munai in Lanao del Norte, and; Lantapan and Sumilao in Bukidnon join SAAD-10’s existing roster of 24 beneficiary LGUs.

The SAAD-implementing LGUs are identified based on Philippine Statistics Authority’s official poverty statistics.

Upon intent and commitment by the local executives, towns with the highest poverty incidence are favored for inclusion to the SAAD program of DA-10.

As a special program of the Department of Agriculture, SAAD aims to uplift the lives of poor farmers in Northern Mindanao.

The program provides the farmers capacitating and enabling agricultural interventions to develop them as enterprising farmers.

Depending on LGUs’ proposal, the beneficiaries are due to receive agri-livelihood projects such as rice and corn production and vegetable production.# (Azbie Talib)