The Department of Agriculture (DA) awarded Davao City as this year’s National Saka Awardee for its contribution to the development of the agricultural and fishery sector.
“This Gawad Saka Award is the biggest agricultural award. This is such a big thing for us since it shows that our farmers are really innovating,” said Leo Brian Leuterio, the City Agriculturist Officer (CAO) chief.
He also said the city government has helped farmers in improving their production and practices through financial assistance and various trainings and seminars. The city also came up with created strategies to further help local farmers to be convenient and have better lives, he said.
Gawas Saka is the highest form of recognition given by the DA to deserving farmers and fisherfolk in the country who have excelled in the various sectors of agriculture. Decades have already passed since the city last won the prestigious award that DA hands out to farmers and local government units.
The local government also received a total of P50,000 as cash incentive.
Around 4,000 farmers have already benefited from the programs of the government, which aims to help in the development of various crops such as cacao, corn, tilapia, and bangus fingerlings for the fisherfolk.
Leuterio added that the Urbanized City Agricultural and Fisheries Council is helping the city government in improving the lot of farmers.
“The organization helps us bridge the programs to the farmers, especially in the most important things that the farmers need. They are made up of all the industries,” he said.
“The closer we are with them, the more we can extend our interventions to the farmers,” he also added.
The city’s agriculturist office is servicing 182 barangays in eight political districts.
It offers Farm Development Services, Urban Agriculture, Agri-Engineering Services, National Organic Agriculture, Local Organic Agriculture, Seedbank and Research Services, Fishery Resources Management Services, Institutional Development Services, and other support services such as Trainings, Techno Demo, Soil Analysis, Crop Production Monitoring, and Seeds and Seedling Distribution.
