ZAMBOANGA CITY, Apr 21 (PIA) – Cassava is one of the most important staple food of some major Indigenous Peoples in Southern Philippines, thus, earning out of it is remotely not impossible.

With the assistance from the Department of Agriculture, the opportunity to earn better in cassava was made possible with the introduction of the farmers to the Special Area for Agriculture Development (SAAD), which is a locally-funded program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), intended to help alleviate poverty among the marginalized sectors – agriculture and fishery.

Rufino S. Maang or Kuya, as he is fondly called by all farmers in the humble community of barangay Lawm Suah, Municipality of Parang, is one of the beneficiaries of the said program in Sulu Province.

SAAD Area Coordinator in Parang, Alkhartemar Sangkula describes Maang as “hardworking and dedicated, a true bread-winner in his family. That is why he is called Kuya because of the attributes of being the leader and a big brother to others.”

Before SAAD, Kuya reaveled that he earned an average of ₱3,000 for every vegetable harvest from his backyard. Some of his harvests are also served as food on the table. For him, whatever is earned is not enough for the basic necessities. He has to wait for another cycle of planting before harvest and earn.

“I strive hard in farming to provide for our family’s needs, and when we are able to harvest well and eat the crops I planted, it is such a great blessing,” Kuya added as he recounts his farming struggles of keeping stray animals from destroying his crops for a very long time.

Kuya then became a member of the Lawm Suah Farmer’s Association that received the SAAD livelihood projects on Cassava-Corn-Peanut Production (CCP) in 2018. The Lawm Suah FA was one of few associations who were given the CCP, where the beneficiaries received 2,000 bundles of cassava planting materials, 10 bags of organic fertilizer, and farm tools such as the shovel, pick, mattock, and scythe. Also included were 18kg bag of corn seeds and 120kg of unshelled peanuts with a total project cost of ₱127,469.15.

Since the SAAD project, Kuya was able to earn more than ₱10,000 on his first harvest and sale of cassava. “We strategize our harvest by not harvesting the cassava all at once. We make sure we have a sure buyer before we harvest to avoid losses,” explained Kuya.

The fresh cassava tubers are harvested and cleaned and immediately grated using the cassava grater and presser, which SAAD had also provided to the association as additional livelihood support for cassava processing.

SAAD also delivered additional fencing materials like hog wires to protect the small farms and crops from wild animals.

During the end of first harvest season, Kuya was able to earn a total of ₱32,000 income at the same time saving some crops for food consumption of his family. Kuya is expecting to start harvesting the second cassava cropping, which will start at the end of March this year.

One can see the joy that kuya is feeling for the opporunity that SAAD has contributed to improve their farm products.

“It is my first time to earn this much from cassava farming. I am very happy, and because SAAD made it possible. I am very thankful to DA-SAAD, mostly to Sir Alkhartemar (Sangkula) for always being present when we need his advice, and not leaving us,” Kuya said.

Speaking in Tausug language, Kuya also expressed his gratitude to the Department of Agriculture, on behalf of Lawm Suah Farmer’s Association, hoping that they would keep up to the challenge of sustaining and improving further the produce to help more farmers and their members. (EDT/RVC/PIA9 with reports from Shara Malaica Ussam/DA-RFO IX, SAAD)