Dumalinao Mayor Junaflor Cerilles (center) leads the launching of Seaweeds Production and Marketing Enterprise with Barangay Pantad Women Farmers Association President Aurelia Ursal. Also, in photo are PRDP Business Development Officer Agustin Wagas (3rd from right), Provincial Agriculturist Joel Sabellano, Fisheries Division Chief Lindley Herrera together with women beneficiaries are among the witnesses.

ZamboSur towns get P7.3-M seaweed enterprises

Date Published: September 24, 2018

The 7.3-Million livelihood enterprise for seaweed farmers under the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) is underway covering four towns of Zamboanga del Sur.

Benefiting 292 households, the Seaweeds Production and Marketing Enterprise project is implemented in the towns of  Dumalinao, Dimataling, Labanga and Pitogo. It is jointly funded from World Bank outing in 60 percent of the funding; Government of the Philippines, 20 percent; Local Government Unit, 20 percent and another 20% equity from the PG for the enterprise cost.

PRDP’s Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) component has clustered Barangay Pantad Women’s Fisherfolk Association with 103 member-beneficiaries (Dumalinao), Bacayawan Women Rural Improvement Club with 106 (Dimataling), Balongbalong Fisherfolk Association with 43 (Pitogo) and Barangay Bulanit Seaweeds Farmers Association with 40 beneficiaries (Labangan) to lead the project implementation.

Barangay Pantad Women FA launched recently their project amounting to P2,754,558. Bacayawan Women RIC will implement a total of  P2,488,528 worth of project. Balongbalong FA gets P1,108,058 and Bulanit Seaweeds FA with P952,708 will begin their respective projects soon.

As part of their sustainability mechanism, Business Development Officer Agustin Wagas said every beneficiary gives P1,300 cash equity for them to receive P25,000 worth of seaweeds planting materials and supplies.

Beneficiaries are expected to have net income of P16,000, after a 45-day cropping period.

Dumalinao Mayor Junaflor Cerilles has emphasized the importance of good quality raw dried seaweeds (RDS).

“Unclean RDS, being sandy with other particles and low carrageenan content reduces quality and value. Let’s make sure we maintain good quality produce,” she said.

“PRDP beneficiaries will be provided with portable stilt dryer to ensure clean RDS and they only sell it though the association,” Wagas said.

During the Bacayawan launching, Board Member Miguelito Ocapan informed the beneficiaries that all seaweeds farmers throughout Zamboanga del Sur are prohibited to use chemical fertilizer to their farm as mandated by Provincial Ordinance No. 0011-2017. (Remai S. Alejado/RPCO9)

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