Promoting Food Resilience through Palaisdaan sa Pamayanan Project

Abstract

This extension project, unique in its approach, aimed to enhance the productivity and profitability of inland/freshwater aquafarmers through capacity building and technical support. It fostered collaboration among Davao Region Research, Development, and Extension Network (DARRDEN) members in sustainable food production. The project's uniqueness lies in its comprehensive approach, which included a site survey to identify potential demo farm locations, resulting in the establishment of two demo ponds—one in Lacaron and another in Demoloc, Davao Occidental—both dedicated to tilapia culture (SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, 2015). Memoranda of Agreement were made with Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR, 2015). After six months of culture, these ponds yielded a harvest of 251 kg of Tilapia, with an average weight of 250 g—the yields and technical approaches align with recent trends in Philippine aquaculture extension (Malayang et al., 2020). Trainings covered tilapia pond culture, hatchery management, and post-harvest techniques, enabling participants to produce Tilanggit and Tilapia Lamayo and imparting knowledge on low-temperature preservation and proper fish handling (SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, 2015). The project effectively improved the knowledge and skills of beneficiaries in sustainable inland/freshwater fish culture, resulting in increased productivity and profitability for inland fish farmers. This multifaceted initiative successfully combined technical assistance, capacity building, and collaboration to drive positive outcomes for aquafarmers in the Davao Region.