DAVAO DEL NORTE – The provincial government of Davao del Norte gears up to inclusively recover from the crisis spawned by the COVID using the digital application of the agri-based KAAGAPAY program.

Guesting in One Davao Presser, Davao del Norte Provincial Governor Edwin I. Jubahib said the Kausa sa Agrikultura para sa Panginabuhian sa Barangay (KAAGAPAY) has online portal application which can draw not only national but global buyers who would have access to market information regarding agri-products of Davao del Norte.

“Agig suporta sa panginabuhian, gi-lusad nato karon ang kausa sa agrikultura para sa panginabuuan sa barangay o KAAGAPAY. (In support to livelihood, we have launched the kausa sa agri para sa panginabuuan sa barangay o KAAGAPAY),” he said as he featured the overarching recovery program of Davao del Norte hatched primarily to address food insecurity caused by the pandemic.

KAAGAPAY basically started with promoting massive gardening to ensure that every family would have food as it is expected that the pandemic would persist creating adverse economic impact down to the household levels.

Jubahib wanted the KAAGAPAY to create a wave of economic benefits beyond household food sustenance, to drawing livelihood income for families across all sectors in Davao del Norte especially now that the province is accommodating the return of overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

Via the internet portal marketing system, buyers and sellers can clinched sale online and the products would then be delivered by land or via plane.

“Parang Lazada,” (like Lazada) Jubahib said in giving how the KAAGAPAY virtual selling would take place in unlocking in wide markets of locally produced agri-based products.

Jubahib revealed that he had already provided the necessary logistic support to roll out the program which he said is allotted with P15 million budget by the provincial government.

The indigenous peoples in the municipality of Talaingod had drawn benefits of KAAGAPAY even before its formal launch of the program three weeks ago.

The provincial government had distributed 10 sacks of Camote seedlings, 253 packs of vegetable seeds, 30,000 cardava banana seedlings, 23,000 abaca seedlings, 29,000 coffee seedlings,1,000 coconut seedlings, 9,900 mahogany seedlings and 15,000 falcata seedlings.

Wide parcels of ancestral lands of IP communities in Talaingod have also been planted with sorghum forming part of the KAAGAY Program to ensure food security and income.

“Nakita na nato nga sugod na nga productive ang atong mga kaigsonan sa barangay. (we now have seen that our brethren at the barangays have started to become productive),” he said during the One Davao Presser.

On top of high value crops (HVC) support to KAAGAPAY, the provincial government also makes sure that households are provided with poultry and livestock product starters through establishing a “multiplier farm” located in Talaingod.

“Para bawat pamilya may alagaan na hayop, pag ito’ylumalaki na, bilhin ng probinsya. Gawing sustainable ang program, tuloy tuloy, upang matulungan na madagdagan ang kanilang kita. (So that every family would have backyard animals to raise; once they’re full-grown, the provincial government will buy them. We’ll make the program is sustainable, continuing, to help them draw more income),” he explained.

Meanwhile, Jubahib also noted that some residents had gain employment in the infrastructure and construction sectors as businesses and enterprises have opened up with the declaration of modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

“Daghan na sa atong mga kaignsoon ang nakatrabaho sa proyekto gikan sa national government ug sa local government. (Some of our brothers and sisters have found work in projects of the national and local government),” he said (PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron Abangan)