RIZAL, Kalinga (PIA) - - Farmers in the province continue to receive government interventions to help them migrate from poverty to a more comfortable life.
The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development Program (DA-SAAD) recently distributed P1.3 million worth of support to strengthen goat production in Rizal and to reinforce farmers build a community enterprise.
A total of 134 upgraded goats and 120 rolls of cyclone wire were given to the Romualdez Farmers Association and Calagango People’s Association Inc.
SAAD Focal Person Ayne Elveña said the upgraded goats are six months old and ready for breeding does and bucks for their one-hectare multiplier farm project. The goats provided are expected to double in four months at most.
This initiative is geared towards establishing an enterprise focused on goat production to be sold within the locality and nearby areas, provide employment among the members and a source of extra income, Elveña said.
In related a related development, DA Cordillera recently trained 39 identified beneficiaries from ELCAC barangays (23 from Rizal and 16 from Tabuk City) on Community-Based Oyster Mushroom Production. As a starting kit, 500 fruiting bags of Oyster mushroom were distributed to participants ready for incubation and are expected to be fully ramified in the next three weeks.
Barangay Kagawad Marynel Dugayon of Dupag, Tabuk City said this kind of intervention is significant since it can add to their source of income.
“We are grateful to receive this kind of program given by the government since this could help us earn more for our family especially that we are still in the middle of pandemic,” Dugayon said.
Evangeline Balderama, focal person on mushroom production project, explained that growing mushroom involves minimal care, maintenance and capital since the resources needed are free and readily available in the community. Substrates used like rice straw, sawdust, dried banana leaves, and other agricultural waste called biomass can be collected in the farm or field after cropping seasons.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Social Welfare and Development conducted training to members of the Green Village ARB Farmers Association on organic feeds formulation before the delivery of egg type free-range chicken for their livelihood.
DAR also made remarkable accomplishment under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) program in terms of online data gathering and online interview of beneficiaries within survey plans of Collective certificate of land ownership award.
The SPLIT aims to fast track land subdivision of CCLOAs and eventually issue individual titles to ARBs who are also indigenous peoples to perfect ownership over their ancestral lands. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga with reports from DA & DAR)
