POONA PIAGAPO, LANAO DEL NORTE- Seventy farmer-beneficiaries of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) received vegetable gardening materials worth P2.1 million.

Each farmer-beneficiary from barangays Pendulonan and Poblacion of said town was granted with assorted vegetable seeds, fertilizers and gardening materials on October 8, 2020.

The 5-in-1 vegetable seeds comprised of ampalaya, okra, squash, string beans and eggplant, while gardening materials include hand rake, flat hand shovel, hand gloves, knapsack sprayer, water drum and plastic seedling tray.

Carlota S. Madriaga, Regional Technical Director for Operations of DA-RFO 10 said, the intervention aims to augment the farmers’ household income amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The turnover ceremony held in barangay Pendulonan Hall was graced by Mayor Muslima T. Macol, Municipal Agriculturist Nasif O. Mamarinta, barangay captains Jamilah L. Musa (Poblacion) and Monabe T. Fernando (Pendulonan) and SAAD representatives.

SAAD is a special program of DA designed to empower and capacitate marginalized farmers in the country. # (REBermundo)