DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, May 19 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture's (DA) Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) turned over some farm tools to increase banana production in Negros Oriental.

The two farmer associations in the municipality of Santa Catalina received farm tools to augment their livelihood project on bananas.

According to Jehson Campos, SAAD provincial coordinator, over P1 million worth of farm tools was turned over to 75 farmers in Santa Catalina to strengthen their banana production.

Complementing the distribution is the conduct of the banana production and marketing training aimed to equip the beneficiaries to become successful entrepreneurs.

The San Miguel and Buenavista farm family associations, which received the farm tools, had been planting bananas for years without proper training, said Campos.

The associations received farm tools such as shovels, bolos, digging bars, plastic crates, weighing scales, fertilizer applicators, and pesticides.

For all they received, farmer-recipients Vangie Rubia and Rita Paco thanked the DA as it opened opportunities for them to become more productive.

DA’s SAAD program aims to alleviate poverty in marginalized sectors.

Banana is one of the most common and widely grown fruit crops in the Philippines. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from DA)