Agri NorMin preps for the hog sentinel program by doing environmental swabbing in some ASF-stricken parts of the region.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao has conducted environmental swabbing in some African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected areas in the region in preparation for the recovery and rehabilitation program.

A total of 39 barangays in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro were subjected to environmental swabbing starting February 2022 as part of the process of the hog sentinel program.

DA-10 ASF Focal Person Julesben Caesar Maquiling, DVM explained, environmental swabbing is the process of collecting samples from the pig pens and surrounding areas of previously ASF-affected backyard raisers.

Said samples were then submitted to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) of DA-10 subject for laboratory analysis to determine whether it is safe to put sentinel pigs.

Dr. Maquiling added that prior to the 20 days of environmental swabbing, one-month cleaning and disinfection were conducted to ensure that the place is clean and safe where the hogs will be placed.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that local government units (LGUs) can declare their respective areas as ASF-free after validation by the provincial veterinary office and/or DA-RFO 10, as stipulated in the DA Admin Order No. 30, series of 2021, “Guideline on the Recovery and Declaration of Freedom from ASF for Local Government Units” signed by DA Secretary William D. Dar.

Dir. Collado added that declaration of ASF-free zoning can be upgraded from red to pink or infected to buffer zone following the DA AO 30 guidelines, and eventually lifts zoning status from pink to yellow after the sentinelling program.

He stressed that the rehabilitation program’s purpose is to increase pig production and subsequently stabilize pork supplies and prices.

For this, Dir. Collado urged all hog raisers to strictly follow biosecurity protocol in the farm to make the repopulation program successful.#(MPMTablon)

On February 23-24, 2022, about 70 attend the Training on Sustainable Smart Agriculture using Appropriate Technology for Strawberry and Tomato in Region 10, which forms part of the capacity enhancement component of the P70.2-million worth of smart greenhouse project at NMACLRC, Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. (Photo credits: LTM/JVB)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – About 70 participants, comprising of farmer-members from different farmers cooperatives, associations (FCAs) and agri-extensionists from Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, including technical staff from the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10), are eyed to help escalate local production of high value crops using smart greenhouse technology.

This, after they have completed a Training on Sustainable Smart Agriculture using Appropriate Technology for Strawberry and Tomato in Region 10 on February 23-24, 2022 at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

One of DA-10’s research stations, NMACLRC also serves as the hub for the collaborative project between the South Korean and Philippine governments dubbed as the ‘Establishment of Smart Greenhouse and Capacity Building in the Philippines’.

Said joint project amounting to P70.2 million was realized primarily from the pooled funds of the South Korean government’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs thru the Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Services in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and DA-10 under the leadership of Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado.

DA-NorMin Regional Technical Director for Operations, Carlota S. Madriaga shared, that the staged capabuild marks the first ever to be conducted, following the completion in the installation of 11 units smart greenhouse along with automation systems on complex environment control, farming management, growth and development information and management.

The short-termed training course covered a briefer on the smart greenhouse project, with lectures focusing on strawberry and tomato cultivation technologies using smart farm, which were discussed by commissioned Korean experts: Park Jongdae and Lee Joungmo, respectively.

Participants also underwent a virtual tour in strawberry and cherry tomato farms in Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, while also physically visiting the smart greenhouse site for a hands-on training for cited commodities.

“As part of the Project’s capacity building component, they [training-participants] are expected to have acquired basic knowledge of smart farm technologies, crop cultivation, and business performance, at the same time, gain understanding in smart farm management,” the agri official said.

Not only will the smart greenhouse project be a learning site for Korean technologies on strawberry and cherry tomato, but also including potato and pepper, RTD Madriaga also pinned her hopes that it will pave way to spark the interest of the youth to engage in farming with the Project’s state-of-the-art operations.

“Our Korean-partners have particularly developed a smart greenhouse operating system for crop growth information management based on Web and Mobile platforms thru the establishment of data systems such as greenhouse environment data management, greenhouse automated operation, and product sales management.”

Qualified farmer-participants for the pioneering batch of trainees are those small and mid-income high valued crop producer-members of DA-accredited FCAs from Talakag, Lantapan, Impasugong and Malaybalay City, who are in proximity to the project site, and who also have the capacity to adopt the greenhouse type of production. # (JLO)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, February 23 – To further develop the agri-fishery sector in Northern Mindanao through improved delivery of agricultural programs and services, the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council 10 (RAFC 10) conducted its second consultative meeting for the year.

Being an integral development partner of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the meeting convened its members to tackle issues and concerns besetting the agriculture sector, to correspondingly and ultimately craft policy recommendations.

Carlota S. Madriaga, regional technical director for operations of DA-10, attributed the private sector stakeholders’ participation in terms of monitoring, evaluating, and sustaining DA-funded programs and projects at the grassroots level, on the positive growth of basic commodities to ensure regional food security.

In 2021, RTD Madriaga relayed, that based on NEDA’s report, Northern Mindanao ranked first, second, and tenth, in terms of hog, corn, and rice production, respectively.

“Now more than ever, we are challenged by the pandemic and other unprecedented circumstances. As a result, farmers need to maximize available technologies, and if possible, generate new ones fitted to the present times,” DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado underscored.

RED Collado added that the government is banking on furthering farmers’ and fishers’ skills to hasten the modernization of the country’s agri sector.

Matters discussed, among others, include the regional policy agenda as a guide in identifying priority areas and proposed solutions to be addressed per sector.

Accordingly, the Council selected representatives among its members for the different sectors, ranging from rice, corn, fisheries and aquaculture, coffee and cacao, fruits and vegetables, climate change, environment and natural resources, agricultural and fisheries mechanization, poultry, livestock, and feed crops, large ruminants and feed crops, coconut, fiber, rubber, and international trade and export.

Also during the consultation, it was unanimously agreed by the members that RAFC 10 chair, Reynaldo M. Cabanao, will retain the chairmanship of the council for a year; while Mischelle F. Egama will serve as the RAFC 10 coordinator.

Further, updates and best practices in farming were likewise discussed for wider information dissemination.

Said blended consultative meeting was participated in by 27 AFC members from the regional, provincial, municipal/city, and highly urbanized cities across Region 10. # (JCAnito)

DA-SAAD 10 validates different multiplier project sites in Region 10 for the granting of breeder animals and animal housing or animals-only.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As part of its agricultural enterprise projects, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program will be granting free range chicken, goat, and cattle multiplier projects to its assisted farmers associations in Northern Mindanao this year.

According to DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, a total of 18 Farmers Associations (FAs) in 16 towns in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, and Misamis Occidental will benefit from such project, which comes in a package of breeder animals and animal housing or animals-only grant.

He added that the SAAD Program apportioned P13.94 million funds for the implementation of the said project.

Together with the DA-RFO 10 Regional Agricultural Engineering Division, SAAD Region 10 has already validated six proposed poultry and livestock multiplier sites in Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental as of February 18.

To qualify for the infrastructure component of the project which is the animal housing, the LGUs are required to provide LGU-owned land as a site for poultry or livestock multiplier farms.

Absence of such land voids the grant of animal housing.

Lana May S. Racines, SAAD Focal Person in Region 10 said with the implementation of SAAD’s Enhanced Poultry and Livestock Production Projects, it is anticipated that the marginal farmers assisted by the program will be able to scale up their livelihood, by providing them added source of earning.

“As the phase 1 implementation of SAAD in Region 10 will culminate this year, we are hopeful that this project will be a legacy project for our farmers. We are hoping that they can significantly better their living condition by sustaining the project and capitalize on it” she added.

Aside from the animal multiplier project, the SAAD program also validates target recipients of various agricultural equipment to be granted by SAAD this year.#(ATalib)

IP FAs in Impasugong, Bukidnon receives P2.1-M worth of agri-assistance from DA-NorMin. (Photo credits: EMB.)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –Four Indigenous Peoples (IPs) farmer’s associations of Impasugong, Bukidnon received P2.1 million worth of agri assistance from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) through its Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) program.

A total of 12 heads of carabao, 24 heads of horse, 16 units plow, 16 units harrow, 40K pieces of abaca seedlings, 20 rolls trapal and 20 rolls of A-net were provided to the IP beneficiaries in a ceremony held in barangays Bulonay and Hagpa of Impasugong town on February 23-24, 2022.

Impasugong Mayor Anthony A. Uy received the assistance from DA-10 Field Operations Chief Audy Maagad, Provincial Operations Center Chief of Bukidnon Janet D. Lopez, DVM who represented DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado.

The IP group beneficiaries includes Grupo Hu Nagkasbuwa Hu Mga Mag-uuma sa Mahan-ao; Pigbuligaan Farmer’s Association; Mahagwa Buligay Farmers Association and Kahugpungan Association of barangays Bulonay and Hagpa.

“DA is providing livelihood opportunities to the IPs to enhance their agricultural productivity and eventually, increase their income,” said Director Collado.

He added, that DA’s efforts are also in support to fight against insurgency with the implementation of EO No. 70 or to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

The said agri assistance is funded by the department’s 4K program which is in support of the development of the Ancestral Domain of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/IPs.

April Grace M. Racines, DA-10’s 4K focal person explained, “The 4K is a three-year special project of DA where it provides assistance to the ICC and IP in the form of agricultural and fisheries-related livelihood opportunities.”

Racines added that the program aims to capacitate the IPs through community organizing, agricultural skills training, and workshops to increase knowledge and productivity.

Andrew Lingcoran, a farmer of barangay Bulonay shared, “First time naming magkaroon ng kabayo kaya lubos ang pasasalamat namin sa DA na nabigyan nang atensiyon ang kagaya naming mga katutubo. Malaking tulong po ito sa aming lugar lalo na sa transportasyon ng aming sinasaka. Alagaan ko po ang kabayo para balang araw ang anak nito ay makatulong na naman sa ibang katutubong magsasaka dito sa amin.”

The activity was in partnership with the 8th and 16th Infantry Battalions of the 4th and 2nd Infantry Divisions, Philippine Army and Municipal Agriculture’s Office of Impasugong, Bukidnon.# (ATC)

Agri NorMin assists MTAC thru the P8-M worth of Cacao Community-Based Dev’t. Enterprise Project.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To provide additional support to cacao farmers, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) turned over the P8 million worth Cacao Community-Based Development Enterprise project for the Migcawayan Tribal Agriculture Cooperative (MTAC) in Damulog, Bukidnon on February 9-10, 2022.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that the project aims to contribute to the agency’s vision of food security and availability through enhancing cacao production of said municipality.

Of the total project amount funded under the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), the association received agri-interventions consisting of 28,000 pieces of cacao seedling which forms part of the planting materials along with administrative-related cost, training, nursery establishment, processing facility, hauling truck and equipment.

Since its establishment in 2019, the tribal cooperative has grown to more than 200 members covering 120 hectares and with 120 of its members involved in cacao farming.

“Migcawayan Tribal Agriculture Cooperative is very proud and glad for the enterprise project of DA-10. These interventions will not only benefit barangay Migcawayan but also the cacao farmers of the municipality of Damulog, Bukidnon,” shared MTAC chairman Jaycer T. Micabalo. # (AMBManto)

DA-SAAD 10 turns over P1.4-M agri assistance to different FCAs to alleviate farmers’ conditions from poverty.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Fourteen farmer’s cooperatives, associations received around P1.4 million worth of agri assistance from the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program in Northern Mindanao.

Of the said amount, a total of P900K drugs and biologics comprising of dewormer, vitamins, antibacterial solutions, electrolytes, wound spray is in support of the free range chicken and livestock production projects of the said beneficiaries.

The assistance is under the technical support services being extended by the program which eyes to boost and improve livestock and poultry production to ensure its availability, accessibility, and affordability.

The additional provision includes agricultural supplies amounting to P433K plastic crates and drums for an estimated area of 7 hectares of vegetable production of the FCAs in MisOcc.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that around 1,105 farmers will benefit from the said assistance by increasing their income and productivity.

The DA-SAAD program is a special project of the DA mandated to ease the poverty situation in the country, by granting agri-livelihood projects to underprivileged smallholding farmers in poverty and conflict-stricken rural areas.#(Maria Paz M. Tablon)

OneDA of R-10 turns over agri-fishery inputs to Igpanutadug sa Abaga Ta Bayug Agriculture Coop of sitio Kibulag, Lantud, Talakag, Bukidnon.

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In less than a month after the members of the Igpanutadug sa Abaga Ta Bayug Agriculture Cooperative were trained on Mushroom Production and Tilapia Culture in Pond, the OneDA in Northern Mindanao delivered agri-fishery inputs at sitio Kibulag, Lantud, Talakag, Bukidnon.

Sultan Abdul Amoran, IP leader of the Maranao-Higaonon tribe received on Thursday, February 18, the trapal which will be used for the mushroom house; nets for free-range chicken, and 50 packs of 5-in-1 pinakbet variant vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture-10 (DA-10).

DA is set to give the mushroom fruiting bags and 110 heads of free-range chicken once their mushroom house and chicken coop are ready.

Meanwhile, the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-10 (DA-BFAR 10) stocked 2K pieces of tilapia fingerlings in a 315-square meter fishpond, a potential industry for providing income and livelihood to the members.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said, in 2020, the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in the fight against local insurgency was launched in the said area.

Director Collado added that DA-10 has provided around P1.9 million agri-interventions and commitments of livestock animals (carabao, goat, cattle), poultry and duck, upland rice seeds, cacao, coffee, and fruit trees seedlings.

Of which, some of the commitments were delivered in 2021 comprising of certified planting materials of cacao, robusta coffee, and durian; and four heads of cattle, female/heifer Brahman bloodline.

Such provisions are funded under the agency’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) program and High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).

Present during the activity were Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Technical Specialist, Wilma T. Bathan, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Region 10 (NICA 10), DA and BFAR-10 technical staff.#(ATC)

A Korean company visits the farm and offices of cassava-growing FCAs in Bukidnon and MisOr provinces, in the hopes of finalizing the latter’s supply of fresh cassava tubers.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Executives and representatives of a Korean company conducted farm and office visits to the different farmers, cooperatives, associations (FCAs), in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental set to finalize a partnership, with the latter supplying fresh cassava tubers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Investments (DTI-BOI) facilitated said visit to 13 FCAs on February 16-18, 2022.

The said FCAs are from Malitbog, Salvacion, Kadingilan, Don Carlos, Pangantucan, Maramag, Cabanglasan, Lantapan of Bukidnon, and Claveria of Misamis Oriental, who have beforehand signified their intent to supply to the Korean’s targeted tapioca manufacturing starch plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

During the field visits, the Korean team met the chairpersons and other farmer-leaders of the different FCAs, where they have laid out their terms and conditions, for the eventual sealing of a marketing agreement between said parties.

With the presence of the Korean investors, DA-10 Regional Executive Director expressed, that farmers can also avail loan assistance from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), DA’s credit arm, in aid to the needed added logistics and capital that the FCAs may need for such marketing opportunity.

“This year, the agency continues to implement several projects, that are already in the pipeline, to help raise agricultural productivity, resiliency, and access to more market linkages for farmers in the region,” Collado said.

The Cassava Program of the Field Operations Division, the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of DA-10, and DTI-BOI facilitated the second batch visit of the Korean buyers.# (JCAnito)

On February 14, 2022, DA-10 inaugurates P33.5-M worth of facilities to boost its research centers’ technology transfer initiatives.

DALWANGAN, MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado inaugurated 14 infrastructure and information technology projects at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) on February 14, 2022, in this city.

Funded under DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research-Bayanihan to Act as One (Bayanihan II) with a total amount of P33.5 million (M), ranging from upgrading, renovation, improvement, installation, and construction projects implemented in the different research centers of the agency.

Housed at NMACLRC, upgrading projects include the Modular Screen House, Existing Water Harvesting Facility (for Livestock and Crops), Tunnel Screenhouse, Diagnostic Laboratory, and Plant Tissue Laboratory, while the Processing Building and Upgrading of Water Harvesting Facility with Concrete Tank are situated at DA-10’s Research Center for Hillyland Development (RCHD) in Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

Renovation projects cover both the Crops and Livestock Administration Building at NMACLRC, and the Animal Shed and Feedlot at RCHD.

On the other hand, the installation project comprises the CCTV System at NMACLRC.

Rounding up the list of projects are the Improvement of Technology Commercialization Center with access road, and the construction of various irrigation projects, both located at NMACLRC.

“The presence of the state-of-the-art, science-based infrastructure projects with laboratory facilities, can attract more farmers, local government units, and stakeholders that will encourage them to visit the research station. The matured technologies showcased can then be replicated by the visiting farmers upon return to their respective areas. With all these, the agri-tourism research center in Region 10 will be within reach,” Collado conveyed.

Meanwhile, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga said that the stations’ facilities will enable its personnel to boost their level of performance by transferring improved technologies to farmers and stakeholders in the region.

NMACLRC chief Carmelito Lapoot assured the management that all will be maximized according to their intended use, adding that they can now cater to more farmers in the conduct of a series of training, technology showcasing, and meetings for the current and coming years.

“We can improve the delivery of our services that will eventually help farmers increase their productivity and income,” Lapoot concluded. # (MGBS/Photo credits: EMB, RDME)