The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through the Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) program, visited five sites in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon to conduct a Preliminary Social Investigation (PSI)
With the program focused on serving the Indigenous People (IP) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC), DA-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that the undertaking is in response to the local government of Impasug-ong’s request of broadening the reach of the 4Ks program in their locality.
Sites included are sitios Ananaso, New Imbatug, Paculab, Paganahan, and Ulayanon in barangay Kalabugao, which are all inhabited by the Higaonon tribe.
April Grace M. Racines, DA-10 4Ks focal person, said that the PSI gauges the agricultural needs and identifies the available crops and livestock in an area through interviews, geotagging, site inspection, and validation.
Results of the investigation, she added, will then be used to determine the necessary interventions to be poured out in the identified sites.
On top of the mentioned sitios, Dir. Collado detailed that eight more sites are eyed to be validated soon.
The 4Ks is a three-year special project of DA that aims to aid the IPs through agri-fishery-related livelihood projects and to capacitate them through agricultural skills training and workshops to increase their knowledge and productivity. (CRSeraspe/DA-10)