Posted on September 21, 2011 09:38:29 PM
Agriculture dep't to expand goat project to N. Samar
TACLOBAN CITY -- The Department of Agriculture will expand its
goat-raising project to Northern Samar following its successful
implementation in pilot areas in Eastern Visayas.
Wilson A. Cerbito, Department of Agriculture regional technical director
for research and regulations, said that based on their latest inventory
this year, the number of goats in eight pilot towns and cities in the
region went up to 1,722 this year from 811 in 2008.
"The population must be higher than reported considering that we only
counted animals that were not sold during the day of inventory," Mr.
Cerbito told BusinessWorld.
He said the project, which is implemented under the Rural Enterprise
Development (RED) approach, will be introduced in San Roque, Northern
Samar this week.
"The local government there is interested to adopt the project. We will
conduct an orientation. We have been pushing this project to local
officials so they can adopt this protocol," said Mr. Cerbito who is also
the national and regional focal person of the RED project for goats.
Mr. Cerbito said that government interventions in goat production
include upgrading of native stocks, improving housing, proper feeding,
providing herbal medicine and providing a hybrid breeder.
The farm department also extended financial support and marketing
assistance to 180 farmer-partners in 25 villages of Tabango, Leyte,
Villaba, Ormoc City, Matag-ob, Jaro, Sta. Fe, and Tacloban City in
Leyte, and Calbayog City in Samar.
"The project is done in these areas but it is now continued by the
farmer's associations. We continue to monitor their activities and
assist them on their special needs," Mr. Cerbito said.
The RED approach encourages local government support to make goat a
priority commodity, identify community problems and draft solutions.
"The farmer partners were provided with technology and entrepreneurial
trainings. They were exposed to various goat production methods in
different areas through an educational tour, participation in goat
congresses, trade fairs and festivals," Mr. Cerbito said.
"After building awareness of farmers, they were then given the leeway in
choosing technologies that could solve their individual farm problems,"
he added.
The RED project has been implemented in Regions 1, 2, 3, and 8.
Different interventions have raised goat population in pilot areas from
3,290 in 2008 to 6,108 this year.
The main goal of the RED project is poverty alleviation and
to transform the traditional way of goat raising into an enterprise. --
Sarwell Q. Meniano
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