OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, May 25, 2022 - The Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program awarded Php 477,522.00 worth of upland rice seeds under Upland Rice Production Project FY 2020 to four IP SAAD associations, benefitting 196 farmers to assist them in the preparation for main cropping season.
Ilya, Taganop, Mantay, Sangay Farmers Association (ITaMaSa FA) with 29 members received 39 bags of rice seeds, while 100 bags were awarded to Samahan ng Magsasakang Katutubo ng Monteclaro (SMKM), benefitting 85 farmers.
On the other hand, Sitio Dulis Abong Salafay Hubkob Farmers Association (S. DASH FA) and Uyugan mga Ama sa Bato Ili as Fangabuyagan (UABP FA) both received 50 bags of rice seeds.
Table 1. List of beneficiaries and number of upland rice seeds allocated for each association.
| Name of Association | Number of members | Upland Rice Seeds received (40/kg per bag) |
| Ilya, Taganop, Mantay, Sangay Farmers Association (ITaMaSa FA) | 29 | 39 |
| Samahan ng Magsasakang Katutubo ng Monteclaro (SMKM) | 85 | 100 |
| Sitio Dulis Abong Salafay Hubkob Farmers Association (S. DASH FA) | 46 | 50 |
| yugan mga Ama sa Bato Ili as Fangabuyagan (UABP FA) | 36 | 50 |
| TOTAL | 196 | 239 |
IP farmers are dependent on rain for irrigation for their fields. If farmers are not able to secure rice seeds before the wet season starts, they would have to wait for the next planting season as irrigation is not available to the majority of the IP farmers' lands. It will greatly affect their food supply if farmers are not able to plan in time.
"Nagpapasalamat po kami kasi nakatanggap kami ng binhi. Makakapagtanim kami ngayong taniman," shared Mr. Rod Lopez, secretary of S. DASH FA.
(We are grateful because we received rice seeds. We will be able to plan this planting season.)
The Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of San Jose assisted with the activity and took the opportunity to profìle SAAD beneficiaries that are not yet listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
Ms. Joy dela Cruz, Agricultural Technician, encouraged the IP beneficiaries to enlist in RSBSA to make sure that the farmers will receive interventions from the Local Government Unit (LGU) and banner programs of DA when SAAD Program ends.
The four (4) associations received machinery and draft animals from SAAD in 2021 to complement the farmers' activities in the field and to boost their production. They are situated in Brgy. Monteclaro, one of the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) areas in Occidental Mindoro.
Sources: Jercel N. Catubig, SAAD Area Coordinator - San Jose & Joy dela Cruz - Agricultural Technician, Brgy. Monteclaro
