The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) National Program Management Support Office (DA-SAAD NPMSO) visited three (3) SAAD assisted associations in Alcantara, Cebu, as part of the management’s engagement with the beneficiaries.

The NPMSO team, led by SAAD National Director Ulysses J. Lustria Jr., visited the Lawaan Farmers Association for their goat production project, while the Polo Fishermens’ Association and Nagkahiusang Mananagat sa Barangay Palanas were recipients of the Bangus Culture in Cage from the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR SAAD).

During the interaction, Director Lustria shared that their team always went down to the grassroots communities, who were recipients of SAAD projects to monitor the projects, listen to stories, and interact with them, soliciting their difficulties and challenges, as well as their additional needs for them to sustain their projects.

At the goat project visit, concerns that were raised were goat mortalities due to strangulation, diseases, feed management, and additional training on goat management.

With the shared concerns of the FA, Dir. Lustria made sure that all of these are well-taken and will be addressed with the help of the Regional Program Management Support Office staff.

“Kahibaw man ta nga challenging ang pag sustain ani na project. Pero bisan unsa kalisod inyong maagian isip usa ka asosasyon ayaw gud mo og buhi. Kay kung nagkahiusa mo, sayun ra kaayo solbaron ang problema” said Marina C. Viniegas, Agricultural Provincial Coordinating Office of Cebu, after the short activity conducted to the association.

(We know the challenges in sustaining the project. Despite the challenges of being an association, don’t give up. As long as you’re all together, problem can be solved easily)

Together with Dir. Lustria is his Executive Assistant, Saturnino R. Palahang Jr, SAAD 7 Alternate Assistant Regional Focal, Leizl S. Pagaran, the DA7 Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section Chief, Cheryl Dela Victoria, Staff of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist of Alcantara, Jessyl Niño M. Cabaron and representatives of BFAR-SAAD.