SWINE REPOPULATION. The Department of Agriculture began its four-month Farmers Livestock School for residents of 10 municipalities in three provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region earlier identified by the DA as Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD). The program aims to provide livelihood and boost the government's swine repopulation program. (Photo courtesy of DA-SAAD)
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has launched the Farmer Livestock Schools (FLSs) in far-flung villages of the region to bring livelihood to the people and boost swine re-population effort of the government.
Dr. Cameron Odsey, DA-CAR OIC-Regional Executive Director, on Thursday said that 79 individual beneficiaries from Mountain Province have started their four-month training on the management of sow (pregnant pig) and hog production.
"This is the DA-CAR's parallel response to the agency's national campaign for swine repopulation," Odsey said.
The conduct of the FLS is a locally funded program of the DA under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) intended to help alleviate poverty among the marginalized sectors engaged in agriculture and fishery specifically in rice-related projects, high-value crops-related projects, and livestock production, he said.
Odsey said FLS training that will last until December will also help the region in its swine production while teaching even the backyard growers on the importance of proper observance of biosecurity measures.
According to the list provided to the Philippine News Agency, some 79 participants of the FLS in Mountain Province are from Barangays Latang in Barlig town; Catengan in Besao; Napua in Sabangan; Anabel, Bekigan, and Sacasacan in Sadanga; and Ankileng and Fidelisan in Sagada.
Odsey said each FLS beneficiary received their biologics which consists of rain boots and scrub suits, medical drugs, and sanitation products. Each is also entitled to one sow that will be taken care of by the beneficiary.
He said the beneficiaries will undergo four sessions of swine/sow instructional teachings on production and management with emphasis on the practice and use of biosecurity that deals with the proper sanitation and the proper use of rain boots and scrub suits to prevent the possible spread of African swine fever (ASF).
The instructors will constantly visit the beneficiary to assure that they continuously learn the proper way of handling the animals to prevent diseases.
"It is hoped that with the knowledge gained from FLS, the beneficiaries will continue to propagate and produce swine. One offspring will be shared to future SAAD beneficiaries which will undergo the same process following the redistributive system for local production," he said.
Odsey reiterated the importance of the roll-over scheme in the repopulation program, as the transfer of offspring ensures sustainability and hopes the rudiments of swine management obtained through the FLS shall indeed roll over to the next-in-line beneficiaries.
He said the intensified educational campaign is participated in by various agencies to ensure the success of the program.
The training will also impart bookkeeping basics and impact assessment, and the opportunity to be accredited as a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) facilitator on swine management.
Odsey said the SAAD areas in the region are in the provinces of Apayao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province which are among the 30 poorest provinces earlier identified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In the three provinces, he said a total of 222 sows were distributed on separate dates to 190 beneficiaries. He added that nine villages in the towns of Balbalan, Pasil, and Tanudan in Kalinga province earlier started the FLS with 90 beneficiaries receiving one sow each. In Apayao, he said 21 beneficiaries in two barangays, one each in the towns of Conner and Kabugao, were given 53 sows.
Abra province which is not a SAAD area also has an ongoing FLS that is being conducted by the DA-CAR's Livestock program but included in areas identified by the region for its hog repopulation.
The DA started with its swine repopulation program in partnership with Benguet province in the first quarter of the year where the agency assists beneficiaries by providing feeds. In return, female piglets are returned to the agency for re-distribution to other interested breeders. (PNA)
