In preparation for the implementation of the SAAD phase 2 in Ilocos region, Information Officers from DA-RFO 1 joined a five-day workshop on communication for development (C4D) facilitated by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) NPMO and the resource speakers from the Faculty of Information and Communication of the UP Open University.

Held on October 24-28, 2022 at Villa Silvina Hotel and Restaurant, SAAD information officers and area coordinators from SAAD implementing regions were convened to participate in the workshop.

Aimed at empowering further the program communicators on Communication for Development to effectively promote the SAAD program, the activity helped the participants in realizing their role as development communicators and how will they properly communicate the program to the beneficiaries in their respective regions.

SAAD is a special program of the Agriculture Department that aims to contribute in poverty alleviation, empowerment of marginalized farmers and fishers and food sustenance with four major components namely: program management; social preparation; production and livelihood interventions; and market assistance and enterprise development.

With the initial implementation of Region I for SAAD, the program have identified four pilot municipalities, one from each province. These are the municipalities of Sto. Tomas in Pangasinan; Bagulin in La Union; Sugpon, Ilocos Sur; and Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte. The interventions that will be provided to the mentioned municipalities will include components on food production and livelihood such as cattle production, vegetable production, chicken and ube production, and ginger production with the inclusion of social preparation component and provision of trainings to the identified recipients.

The municipalities under SAAD program are selected based on the poverty incidence among families with the inclusion of conflict stricken areas.