Reap. Refresh. Reward.
As the summer sun warms the fields of Almeria, the members of the Sampao Small Water Irrigation System Association, Inc. (SSWISA) found a way to beat the heat — through rows of ripe watermelons gleaming and ready for market.
It began with three piglets and a shared vision of a better life.
In the quiet coastal town of Maripipi Island, words were transformed into action when the Binalayan East Farmers and Fishermen Association (BEFFA) decided that their future was in their own hands. What started as a modest investment has now grown into a beacon of hope for a community.
The soft clucking of hens now echoes as a sound of hope for members of the Barangay Aringit Farmers Association (BAFA), as the egg production project granted under the Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 continues to transform their lives.
TACLOBAN CITY - Farmer groups supported under the Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program were engaged to supply agricultural products to the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Program, resulting in combined sales amounting to Php198,210.00.
While a long season of waiting often deter people to forgo their dreams, a farmers association from the southernmost part of Eastern Visayas presses on for a better future ahead.
After almost two years, the Barangay Plaridel Farmers and Swine Raisers Association (BPFSRA) of Hinundayan, Southern Leyte finally received the livelihood intervention from the Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD).
In January, the San Roque Farmers and Fisherfolks Association (SRFFA) recorded its highest earnings to date, posting a Php 135,183.00 net income after receiving the final round of egg production support from the Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program.
LAPINIG, NORTHERN SAMAR — In a proactive move to protect their livelihood and sustain local food supply, the Pio del Pilar Farmers Association of Lapinig, Northern Samar has upgraded its poultry facility with a more durable layer house, reinforcing the stability of its egg production amidst the recurring weather disturbances.
The Balogo Small Farmers and Fisherfolk Association of San Sebastian, Samar has successfully expanded its poultry production through restocking initiatives and continued assistance from the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program.
The association, composed of 20 members, is a beneficiary of the FY 2024 Egg Production Project under the DA-SAAD Program, valued at Php1.7 million.
Tacloban City - A total of 1,100 farmers from various associations assisted under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase 2 across the region participated in a series of values formation and leadership training.
Held in March, the training sessions aimed to strengthen the organizational capacity of farmer groups by equipping members with essential leadership skills and instilling core Filipino values. The initiative forms part of SAAD’s continuing efforts to empower rural communities and improve livelihood opportunities.
ALMERIA, BILIRAN - In the green, misty highlands of Almeria, Biliran, the Sampao Small Waters Irrigators System Association (SSWISA) have turned the fertile soil into a place of success. The heavy, satisfying thud of golden squash being loaded into crates fills the air, and the community collectively sighed in relief as they witnessed their dreams materializing.
Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte – Following the provision of egg production support by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in 2024, the Association of Farmers and Fisherfolks of Brgy. Sta. Sofia (AFFOBS) finally had their first profit-sharing session this year.
In over a year of operations, the association recorded a gross income of Php 887,353.00, resulting in a net profit of Php 85,956.40. This profit was distributed among its 19 active members during their dividend sharing held last January 27.
The farm fields of Kawayan, Biliran are producing more than just crops—they’re also bringing hope, fairness, and a revitalized sense of meaning to the community.
For two years, the members of the Samahan ng mga Manggagawa para sa Agrikulturang Pangkabuhayan (SMAP) Association recorded their vegetable harvest totaling 6,437.15 kilograms, with a net income of Php90.274.78.
Natural disasters impact agriculture, just as Typhoon Tino in November 2025 caused about Php 397,340.00 in crop and farm structure damage to the Nahaong Vegetable Growers Association (NaVGA) in Libagon, Southern Leyte.
The silence of empty pig pens told the story of loss in Mayorga, Leyte, where a farmer association saw its livelihood collapse because of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak. What had once been a viable enterprise was turned to uncertainty, leaving members deciding to look for another source of income.
SAN VICENTE, NORTHERN SAMAR - In the wake of a devastating natural calamity back in September 2025, the Mongolbongol Farmers Association (MFA) of San Vicente, Northern Samar have refused to concede and let the distraught of the typhoon be the final chapter of their story.
A women’s association from Salcedo, Eastern Samar, named Samahan ng Masisipag na Ina ng Caridad (SAMICA), cultivated vegetable plots that generated nearly half a million pesos in gross income, turning farming into a sustainable livelihood.
This group of twenty mothers is a recipient of the FY 2024 Diversified Farming on Vegetable and Cacao Production Project under the DA-SAAD Program, valued at Php1.4 million.
TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE – The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Eastern Visayas successfully held its annual staff orientation, with focus on reinforcing organizational values, promoting effective teamwork, and ensuring that project strategies are aligned with objectives for the current fiscal year.
ALMERIA, BILIRAN - When a disease outbreak affected the Tamarindo Integrated Peace and Development Workers Association’s (TIPDWA) poultry project in 2024, leaving only 37 survivors from an original flock of 240, the silence in the cages threatened to end their dreams of prosperity.
In the far-flung barangays of Eastern Samar, where electricity often flickers out without warning, poultry raisers have long struggled to keep their egg production steady. Oftentimes, lights would dim and livelihoods were affected.
But on January 29, 2026, hope arrived in the form of portable power stations.
TAGAPUL-AN, SAMAR - For the coastal families of Tagapul-an, life has long been a gamble against the tides. In this island municipality, a typhoon brings more than just rainfall, but also triggers a total economic standstill. When the waves grow too treacherous for fishing boats to set sail, the community’s food supply and income seemingly vanish into the mist of a sea that has suddenly become a wall between them and their basic necessities.
CAIBIRAN, BILIRAN - A small farmers’ association in Caibiran, Biliran exemplifies how resilience can be achieved through the implementation of crop diversification and livestock integration. The Bariis Corn Farmers Association (BCFA), composed of 20 committed members, has expanded its livelihood, not only planting corn and vegetables but also in poultry production.
In less than a year, the Magallanes Farmers Association of Limasawa, Southern Leyte was able to pivot from incurring significant loss after an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak affected their livelihood. With the continued support of the Department of Agriculture - Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program, the farmers group gained a new livelihood opportunity which provided renewed optimism among the farmers, even after previous setbacks.
STA.FE, LEYTE — Exhibiting prudence and resilience following several setbacks, the Barangay Zone III Farmers’ Association (BAZOFA) of Sta. Fe, Leyte opted to reinvest its earnings in additional ready-to-lay (RTL) chickens to ensure the continued viability of its poultry enterprise.
The move comes as part of the group’s strategy to recover from disease-related losses and secure a sustainable income stream for its members.
SAN JULIAN, EASTERN SAMAR — The San Isidro Women’s Association (SIWA) of San Julian, Eastern Samar transformed the gains of their livelihood project into a meaningful act of generosity.
Last December, the women’s group distributed grocery packs to 11 elderly residents of Barangay San Isidro as part of their Christmas outreach — a gesture that not only brought holiday cheer but also showcased how community-driven initiatives under the SAAD Program can ripple outward to uplift the most vulnerable members of society.