The growing consciousness in producing safe and quality food prompts the farmers in a fifth-class town in the Province of Dinagat Islands to venture into organic farming.

In support, the Department of Agriculture – Caraga through the Organic Agriculture (OA) Program delivered 24 heads of upgraded goat and 180 heads of native chicken to the General Aguinaldo Farmers Association (GAFA) in the Municipality of Libjo last July 29. This intervention has a total worth of P459,000 and is part of the production support services of the OA Program.

 A-Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo said that the distribution of the animals aims to provide livelihood assistance to the 28-membered association. This will also serve as a production area for organic goat and native chicken in the municipality.

GAFA Chairman Syrus Malbacias said that the project will give them additional income aside from growing crops such as vegetables, rice, and corn on the island.

“We are grateful for these interventions from the DA-Caraga. We are excited because this will also serve as a new enterprise venture for the association,” said Chairman Malbacias.

Also, Regional Organic Agriculture Focal Person Cindy Burdeos said that part of the intervention for GAFA is to train them on feed formulation.

“Feed formulation utilizes the locally available materials of the association. Thus, there is no need to buy commercial feeds from the market which makes it sustainable,” said Burdeos.

Farm animals require a good diet for efficient production, growth, and maintenance. Organic Farming systems aim at growing and producing most of the animal feeds in the farm to sustain production and minimize the risk of contamination of these feeds by chemicals that may be in use at other sources where such feeds were procured.

“Production of animal feeds also promotes the achievement of the basic objective of organic farming which is the use of low external inputs,” Burdeos added. (Rhea C. Abao, Information Officer II – DA-Caraga, RAFIS)