DAVAO CITY – The Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) in Davao del Norte received PHP10 million worth of projects from the Department of Agriculture to boost their swine production.
According to Olivia Gatus, officer in charge of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) 11 for Davao region, the projects consist of housing facilities, breeder animals, and equipment which was under the auspices of DA’s – National Livestock Program and the ATI-11, the program also helps IGACOS raisers to produce their hogs.
The initiative includes initial inputs for the establishment of a 30 sow-level swine multiplier and techno demo farm project under the NLP’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) program.
INSPIRE aims to help the Philippine swine industry recover by increasing hog production and ensuring the availability, accessibility, and affordability of pork and pork products.
In receiving the project, IGACOS Mayor Al David Uy said it will provide sustainable livelihood for his constituents. He also emphasized “We wanted to develop not only the tourism sector but also the agri sector to strengthen food sufficiency in our island,”
Uy emphasized that agriculture is among the sectors which supports the tourism industry of his city “We need to have a value chain, food and livestock from this island should be patronized by the business sector, people provides the need of every guests and visitors.”
Through this program, Gatus said, there is no need for IGACOS to import pork and its by-products from this city since it can now be self-sufficient.
She said the techno demo farm project aims to produce and distribute 646 heads and DNA-tested female (weaner) breeders; process and distribute 501 free doses of boar semen production; and distribute 429 heads male (castrates).
Gatus also said the techno demo farm can serve as a venue for training, extension, and learning of farmers, students, and interested individuals, among others.
“Through this project, we will support the gradual restocking and repopulation of the swine industry, which in the long run will not only benefit the agriculture sector in Samal but the whole Davao region as well,” she said.
This as NLP Director Dr. Ruth Miclat Sonaco revealed that island’s hog production fell by 40 percent or 9,000 heads from a record 13,000 heads due to African swine fever.
“Currently, the project will rehabilitate the swine industry on the island. We cannot go back to how we raised our pigs before; we need to restructure and re-modernize,” she said.
Sonaco said with the breeder stocks and weaners raised, the industry can now produce additional breeders and weaners required in the coming months for a more extensive repopulation.
“These breeder multiplier farms will be sustained by the implementing partner in the years to come and be reliable sources of quality stocks,” she said.-With report from PNA
