The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources gave P13 million worth of fisheries livelihood projects to 25 municipalities of Abra in the second phase of implementation of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program.
Except for Bangued and Tubo, the 25 towns are the poorest towns in the region in terms of income classification, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Thirteen farmer’s associations received fingerlings and fish feeds in two distribution batches recently.
One of them is Ganagan Fisherfolk Association president Jonathan Felas, who shifted to tilapia and catfish farming from rice. He has been an overseas worker for 20 years and now that he decided to stay for good, wanted to explore fish farming and eventually build a potentially lucrative market soon.
Fish pond farming is the main source of income in Lat-ey, San Juan. They started by sharing their fingerlings with other members of the association.
Timpuyog Lat-ey Farmers and Fisherfolk Association president Antonio Ambalneg is delighted that the program will be implemented for two years, not just a few months.
The SAAD program aims to alleviate poverty in the fishery sector by capacitating fisherfolk associations with proper fishing management and providing them with aquaculture livelihood inputs.
The organizations are expected to grow into an enterprise in two years which is the end goal of the program.
The first batches of beneficiaries were from 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.
The second batch of beneficiaries from Malibcong, Licuan Baay, Bucloc, Daguioman, San Isidro, received 20,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial 200 bags of fish feeds each.
Lacub beneficiaries received 19,000 tilapia fingerlings and partial of 190 bags of fish feeds.
Another batch will receive fingerlings and other inputs within the semester. Additional fish feeds will be provided by June to complete the inputs for the first cropping period. Afterwards, monitoring will be implemented to guide the associations with proper feeding management to meet higher produce. – Rodelyn Foronda
