Officers and members of the Awayon Farmers Association in Mercedes, Silago, Southern Leyte in a souvenir pose right after the successful harvest. (Photo courtesy of Provincial Agricultural Services Office)
MAASIN CITY (PIA) – A fisheries project in Brgy. Mercedes, Silago, Southern Leyte, is yielding impressive results, boosting food security and providing a sustainable livelihood for local farmers and fisherfolk.
The Awayon Farmers Association (AFA) recently conducted a successful partial harvest of tilapia grown from a fishpond, with 108 kilograms sold in the market at P150 per kilo, totaling P16,200 in gross sales.
This promising outcome is a result of the exerted efforts of the association’s officials and members whose tilapia-in-a-fishpond venture is fully supported by the provincial government under the Fisheries Enterprise Development Project, a key initiative under the province’s food security program launched in September 2024.
The project, which was established on February 19, 2024 with 30 active members and accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), provides vital support to the association, according to Ria Donayre, the extension worker at the Provincial Agricultural Services Office (PAgSO) assigned to handle and monitor the project.
“They were overwhelmed, excited. Nalipay jud sila nga daghan ang na-harvest, ug naa pay sunod nga i-harvest pa,” (They were happy with the many fishes harvested, and there is still another harvest coming), Donayre told the Philippine Information Agency.
The fishpond site has an area of 1,000 square meters, with a constant supply of running water from a nearby stream, the same source used for irrigation in the surrounding rice fields, Donayre said.
The provincial government has provided support, including 5,000 tilapia fingerlings sourced from the provincial multi-fish species hatchery in Brgy. San Roque, Macrohon – said to be the first of its kind, put up by the PLGU in the region when it was launched in June last year, in collaboration with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Donayre added that AFA also received a grant valued at P54,000, which included a bag of fry booster, three bags of pre-starter feeds, and 30 bags of tilapia feeds, while the association contributed feeds as their counterpart.
Jino Tomol, AFA vice president, expressed gratitude for the opportunity given by the provincial government and LGU Silago, which provided pipes to connect the project to the water source, saying this really helped augment their income.
Tomol said the fishpond lot was owned by Ronnie Octot, AFA president, and was used by the association for free.
He reported having had the second tilapia harvest of 350 kilos just last Friday, February 14.
“Dako kaayo mig pasalamat, ilabina ang pagtabang sa probinsiya dinhi sa amo sa AFA. Nakatabang ni isip dugang pangihabuhian, ilabina sa mga membro sa asosasyon, mapasalamaton kaajo mi sa probinsiya, ug sa LGU Silago nga naghatag og tubo para sa water system gikan sa source,” Tomol said.
(We thank very much the provincial government for this help, this additional livelihood to all our members, as well as to LGU Silago for the pipes used for the water system from the source.)
Aside from the tilapia fishpond, Tomol said they also received broiler chickens from the provincial veterinary services office, which they already harvested, and now they are just waiting for the next boarding.
The association, which celebrated its first anniversary on February 19, is now preparing lots for the upcoming planting of assorted vegetables crops, the materials still coming soon from the province, Tomol said. as he affirmed Donayre’s statement that they are looking forward for another training to enhance their skills in agribusiness ventures.
Inspired by their initial successful harvest, AFA plans to request additional training to further enhance their agricultural business practices. (MMP/PIA Southern Leyte)
