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In goats, we trust!
––LGUs |
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In
Pangasinan, local government units (LGUs) are putting their trust
on goats as they empower farmers with the right information and
technology to raise goats not just for the family’s food security
but also for profit and enterprise.
Two
years after the PCARRD-coordinated projects were completed, the
demand for goat breeders increased; price of goats surged; number
of raisers increased; and the number of LGU requests to the Department
of Agriculture (DA) and other service providers for trainings on
goat management increased.
The
DA Regional Field Unit 1 eventually recognized goat as a regional
flagship commodity.
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What
caused this tremendous interest in goat? For one, chevon or goat
meat and its skin and innards are delectable food fare in the
region.
Raising
livestock is also the Ilocanos’ manifestation of hard work
in maximizing available resources despite the difficulties of
farming in the arid Ilocos.
Beyond
the geographic and ethnic boundaries of the region, the popularity
of goats has spread, prompting farmers to produce quality stock
that could be marketed at a higher price elsewhere.
They
have also laid the plans for value adding such as introducing
the halal method of goat meat processing and producing leather
from goat skin. These are some of the initiatives of the mayor
of Alaminos, Pangasinan––the then secretary of Department
of Agrarian Reform––Hernanie Braganza.
Besides
the socioeconomic benefits, Region 1 is reaping the benefits of
knowledge empowerment, with farmers’ problems and misconceptions
about goats addressed.
The
high mortality rates of goats, for instance due to parasitism,
drastically went down from 60–100% to less than 10% due
to technology promotion and improved practices brought in by the
projects, “Crop-Animal System Research Network” (CASREN)
and the “Farmer Livestock School on Integrated Goat Management”
(FLS).
Both
projects were coordinated by PCARRD of the Department of Science
and Technology, with support from the International Livestock
Research Institute; Asian Development Bank; and the International
Fund for Agricultural Development.
Aside
from the specific technologies introduced, involving the farmers
and the LGUs in problem diagnosis, planning, implementation, and
monitoring and evaluation was
key to the optimistic trends in goat raising.
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Farmers,
technicians, and regional and municipal leaders were empowered not
only in the technological options but also in decision making, transparency
in project implementation, cost sharing, and owning the development
initiative introduced from the very start.
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Learnings
from the goat projects
Dr. Benjamin Ronduen, DA-RFU 1 regional technical director, and Edmund
Quinit, station manager of the Ilocos Integrated Agricultural Research
Center, have witnessed how development projects––particularly
those hugely funded, national government- sponsored ones with fancy
titles (sometimes with political color)––have been launched
and implemented.
Ronduen and Quinit spoke of uphill strides in their
quest to get support for such projects from the governors, mayors,
and farmers. More often, their days ended with disappointments and
more challenges. But the projects on goats changed all that.
The projects proved that little financial outlay
was needed. Neither fancy launching nor fresh funds were required,
just the regular funds of the regional office and counterpart support
from the municipal and provincial local governments.
Moreover, the farmer-partners owned the animals
used and were just assisted through trainings. Occasionally, breeder
bucks had to be bought by using either the farmers’ own resources
or loans from the project. Definitely, there were no dole-outs.
Sensitizing the LGU leadership and capacitating
development workers
At present goat raisers are very happy, according to Ronduen. Biological
problems such as parasitism and mortalities in the farms have been
reduced and ready markets for the animals and their meat are available.
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With
the positive attitude of Pangasinan municipal mayors—Jose Peralta
Jr. of Balungao; Hernanie Braganza of Alaminos; Gabriel E. Navarro
of Bani; and Nelson C. Cruz of Mangatarem—these goat programs
have gotten a boost.
Ronduen is confident that the phenomenon could be
assimilated as a way of life by farmers and local officials alike,
not only in Pangasinan but also in nearby provinces.
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challenge, however, is finding and cloning development workers like
Dr. Jovita Datuin; Marlyn Lilagan of Balungao; Ed Serna of Alaminos;
Dong Opolinto of Bani; and Nieves Poquiz of Mangatarem and farmer-scientists
like Joel Fernandez whose dedication, passion, and enthusiasm forward
the cause of smallholder farmers. (Edwin C. Villar, S&T Media
Service) |
Copyright
© 2001
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research
and Development
Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (63-049) 536-0014 to 536-0015/ 536-0017 to 536-0020 & 536-0024
Fax Nos. (63-049) 536-0016/ 536-0132
E-mail: pcarrd@pcarrd.dost.gov.ph
All Rights Reserved. |
