In the Phase II implementation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program, a total of P-13 million pesos worth of fisheries livelihood projects will be given to almost all the municipalities of Abra except for the municipalities of Bangued and Tubo. The 25 towns are identified as SAAD based on the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority as the poorest of the poor towns in the region in terms of income classification.
Abra, after making sure that the FAs are ready to manage the livelihood projects to be given to them, received fingerlings and fish feeds in two distribution batches recently. Thus, 13 organizations benefited.
In an interview, Mr. Jonathan Felas, President of Ganagan Fisherfolk Association in San Juan, shared that he shifted to tilapia and hito farming from rice. He has been an Overseas Filipino Worker for 20 years and now that he decided to stay for good, he wanted to explore fish farming and eventually build a potentially lucrative market soon.
“Fish pond farming is our main source of income here in Lat-ey. We started by sharing our fingerlings with each other thus we are delighted that there is this program which will help us not just in a few months but for two years. We will manage our association and as the program targets, we too would love to be an enterprise”, said Mr. Antonio Ambalneg, President of Timpuyog Lat-ey Farmers and Fisherfolk Association.
The SAAD program is aimed at alleviating poverty among marginalized sectors in fishery through capacitating the fisherfolk associations (FA) with proper fishing management and providing them with aquaculture livelihood inputs. In two years time, these organizations are expected to grow into an enterprise which is the end goal of the program.
Distribution of first batch includes Manabo, Lagangilang, Penarrubia, Bucay, and San Juan. Manabo received 20,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial of 200 bags of fish feeds; 16,250 tilapia fingerlings, 2,750 hito fingerlings, and partial of 190 bags of fish feeds; 20,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial of 200 bags of fish feeds; 17,000 tilapia fingerlings, 2,000 hito fingerlings, and partial 190 bags of fish feeds; 16,750 tilapia fingerlings, 2,250 hito fingerlings, and partial 190 bags of fish feeds, respectively.
Meanwhile, the second batch which includes Malibcong, Licuan Baay, Bucloc, Daguioman, San Isidro, received 20,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial 200 bags of fish feeds each. Lacub received 19,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial of 190 bags of fish feeds.
Another batch of distribution will be conducted until all 25 municipalities are covered within the semester. Additional fish feeds will be provided by June to complete the inputs for the first cropping period. Afterwards, close monitoring will be implemented to guide the associations with proper feeding management to meet higher produce.**Rodelyn Foronda