DA9 capacitates Zambo Norte farmers with auditing skills

 By Rene V. Carbayas

 

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Sept 20 (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program recently trained a total of 570 farmer-partners from 100 farmers’ cooperative and associations (FCAs) in Zamboanga del Norte.

 

The association officers, particularly the president, secretary, treasurer and auditor of the associations completed the Community-based Financial Management Training aimed to gain knowledge on sound financial control in their respective areas.

 

The farmer-partners were particularly selected in line with their duties and responsibilities as they handle livestock and poultry projects such as the Layer Chicken-Egg Production, Broiler Raising and other projects that generate income for the association.

 

The SAAD Area Coordinators who had undergone the training of trainers served as the resource speakers during the training held in different SAAD municipalities.

 

Among the topics discussed during the training were the proper financial handling and simple book keeping.

 

SAAD Provincial Coordinator, Roger Dave Gramatica, explained that “the SAAD Program does not only provide project inputs, but we also conduct trainings like this to enhance the farmers’ knowledge and increase confidence in handling association-based operation management.”

 

Gramatica expressed his gratitude to the farmers for responding positively with the series of trainings conducted in the province.

 

Also present during the training to show support to the associations Municipal Agriculturists and other LGU personnel from their respective communities. 

 

The Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) is a locally-funded program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), intended to help alleviate poverty among the marginalized sectors – agriculture and fishery.

 

Coined after the Visayan word “saad” which means promise, the SAAD Program is a breakthrough of former DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol and was turned over to now DA Secretary William D. Dar as part of the thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte to increase food production and reduce poverty in the Philippines. (EDT/RVC/PIA9 with reports from Aimee Lou Madjus/DA-RFO IX, RAFIS)