20 IP farmers in Sumadel, Tinglayan given 20 carabaos as aid – DA-4K Project Development Officer Claridad Kiat-ong

Sumadel, Tinglayan – Twenty Indigenous Peoples (IP) farmers in Sumadel, Tinglayan received 20 carabaos from the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program, a livelihood initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity and supporting Indigenous Peoples within ancestral domain areas by providing farm animals to boost farming activities and improve household income.

Ferried to Sumadel on November 20, 2025, the carabaos were procured from the ₱1.5 million allocation for this year and are expected to support and strengthen agriculture-based livelihoods of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of Kalinga.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, DA-4K Project Development Officer Claridad Kiat-ong shared that the project was a direct response to the community’s expressed needs during last year’s April consultation, where residents stated that they preferred carabaos over machines.

“Daytoy nga project ket mapan idiay Sumadel ta isu met ti kinayat da as a result of the community consultation nga in-conduct tayo last year ti April. So ang allotted fund is P1.5M for this year ket 20 nga carabao ti inmanayan na diyay—so there will be 20 beneficiaries also; hoping nga makatulong daytoy iti livelihood da,” she said.

Kiat-ong added that the 20 farmers are the first batch of beneficiaries, carefully selected through consultations to ensure that the support directly addresses their needs. She emphasized the importance of proper management and implementation by the community.

“…alagaankuma da ken i-implement da nga usto ti projects nga maited kanyada ta kinayat da met… namindwa kami nga nagpa-consultation idiayen ket isu ti kasapulan da, so the agency is giving them. So daytoy palang—bareng alagaan da. Tungpalen da ti policies nga nagtungtungan da idi kasi lahat gusto nila ng ganyan. Pero sabi ko nga, limited yung funds so 20 yung first batch,” she added.

As the first batch under the program, Kiat-ong said the 20 iKalinga farmers are expected to responsibly manage the carabaos to enhance their livelihoods and support agricultural productivity, adding that if the program becomes successful, then the beneficiaries can become agents through whom others can also benefit.