Zamboanga del Sur – With the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 9 (DA-RFO9), the Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) Program focuses on reaching the municipalities which are classified as Ancestral Domain (AD) to extend module packages for the IPs necessary for their production. Reaching the tribal groups to conduct training is one of the key strategies to prepare them for the livelihood intervention to be given, and one way of creating and preparing them for economic upliftment in the area.
A 1-day Skills Training on Abaca Production was held last October 8, 2021 benefiting a total of twenty-six (26) IP farmers who are all members of the Pilas Subanen Indigenous Cultural Community, a tribal group in Pedagan and Paraiso, Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur. With the beneficiaries eagerness to acquire the different standards of agricultural and good agricultural practices that could maximize their production, the DA RFO 9 invited the technical experts from Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) to lead the training. Mr. Jurey Cris E. Ponio and Ms. Ruby Jane T. Padilla, who was the Resource Person of the said training opted to introduce the proper farm establishment, care, management, handling practices and the like.
Present during the conduct of the training were Ms. Juvy Guatno, 4Ks Focal Person and the 4K Staffs. Additionally, 12,000 Abaca seed pieces were already delivered and additional farm implements were also turned over to the association in support of the intervention.
(Source: Department of Agriculture – ZamPen)