Organic Tilapia Production, new business offered by DAR to farmers in Bulusan

Project Site Visitation

DAR Sorsogon conducted Basic Training Course in Organic Tilapia Production for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Bulusan ARC (Agrarian Reform Community). This is to strengthen the economic condition of the agricultural farmers by increasing their agricultural productivity through diversified farming technologies. Again, this project is made under the ARCCESS (Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services) program.

“Bulusan ARC is gifted with fresh water resources coming from the forest area of Mount Bulusan. The abundance of fresh water can be used to grow tilapia in backyard fishponds in organic way. Growing tilapia under organic system will conserve and protect the fresh water resources from nitrate contamination which results from excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers are used to accelerate the growth of planktons that serve as feeds for tilapia under conventional system of growing. Likewise, the food requirement of the agrarian reform beneficiaries’ households will be provided because of this project,” said Thomas M. Diesta, ARCCESS Point Person.

In this two-day training, the participants were taught about the basic concepts, and principles of raising tilapia on a backyard and commercial scale. They were provided with knowledge in growing tilapia under the organic system; hands-on fishponds construction and development; skills on applying strategies on sustainable tilapia production; and the preparation of localized action plan and mechanism for sustained adoption of the organic agriculture farming.

“That’s why nowadays agrarian reform is not just concentrating on land acquisition and distribution, the program is already moving to the next step which is giving assistance to the beneficiaries to improve their household income. Tilapia production is just one way. The sufficient water supply in Bulusan makes the area ideal for this business, thus, they were chosen for this project. But because it is new to them, DAR is giving them the professional services which is one of the agreements in ARCCESS program,” said Leonito M. Gaveria, OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II.

Out of the forty-five (45) training attendees, eighteen (18) of them have already available ponds for hatchery and fattening who confirmed to join in this entrepreneurship. According to Diesta, they will be receiving free fingerlings in May.