The Department of Agriculture in the Davao Region (DA-11) has allotted PHP32.6 million worth of assistance to curb poverty in four provinces in the region.

In a press briefing here, DA-11 Regional Officer for Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Naomi Lamata said 14 fifth- and sixth-class municipalities in the provinces of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental are the budget’s target recipients this year.

Of the total budget, PHP3 million is designated for the social preparation component and food production, PHP20 million for livelihood, and PHP9.5 million for the program management office.

“The Philippine Statistics Authority identified these municipalities. They are those who have the poorest of the poor families,” Lamata said.

She identified the target municipalities as San Isidro and Talaingod in Davao del Norte; Caraga, Tarragona, Manay, Baganga, Governor Generoso, Cateel and Boston in Davao Oriental; Jose Abad Santos, Don Marcelino, Malita and Sarangani in Davao Occidental; and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.

She said the projects include banana, corn and layer chicken production.

“We have started the profiling of beneficiaries. The municipalities who preferred the banana production project will be receiving 15,000 banana Cardava plantlets with fertilizers, with tools, with drums, with crates, and with sprayers,” she said.

For corn production, the beneficiaries will receive 24 bags of hybrid corn seeds, 144 sacks of fertilizers, and 30 bottles or packs of pesticides.

On the layer chicken production, DA-11 will be giving five-month-old chickens that are ready to lay eggs.

Lamata also noted that Davao de Oro province is already a SAAD beneficiary with a budget of PHP209 million for five years of implementation, which started in 2018.

SAAD is a locally-funded program of the DA which aims to help alleviate poverty among the marginalized sectors of agriculture and fishery. (PNA)