The Banat Taleb Fisherfolk Association in Nagbukel, Ilocos Sur, celebrated a successful tilapia harvest yielding 452 kilograms, generating ₱60,360.00 in revenue. This harvest marked a major milestone in their aquaculture journey, culminating on December 29, 2024, from their first production cycle.

This project, part of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Phase II program run by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), aims to improve the lives of marginalized communities. Led by President Rowel Dofredo, the association, consisting of 18 members, expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the aquaculture farming project, highlighting the increased confidence and skills gained through the program.

Initially uncertain about the project’s success, the association members, many of whom are farmers who previously struggled to meet their daily financial needs, now have a reliable alternative source of livelihood, enhancing both income and food security. Encouraged by their first harvest, they plan to expand their fish farming operations in future production cycles, aiming for even greater yields.

The DA-BFAR-SAAD program continues to provide technical assistance and resources to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability. This success story demonstrates the positive impact of government-supported aquaculture projects in uplifting rural communities, proving the viability of sustainable fisheries even in upland areas.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐀-𝐁𝐅𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐀𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝟐:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞- 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬- 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐃𝐀-𝐁𝐅𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐀𝐀𝐃) 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝟐 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐀 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐅𝐀𝐑-𝐒𝐀𝐀𝐃 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬.