mb.com.ph, September 10, 2010, 2:13pm

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will showcase two of its major goat projects at the Agrilink 2010 which will be held at the World Trade Center Metro Manila on October 7 to 9. These projects which are supported by funds from the US PL-480 are being implemented by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) in collaboration with the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC).

The first is the goat production project which will support the implementation of Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP) by increasing and upgrading the breeder base of goats in the targeted areas. This will be done through breeder stock infusion.

The imported stocks will be bred at the nucleus farms to produce genetically superior animals that will be distributed to the different multplier farms throughout the country where priority will be given to the provinces of the AHMP with higher hunger incidence.

A total of 6,000 breeder does and 480 breeder bucks will be imported and will be multiplied in six nucleus farms of the Department of Agriculture or State Colleges and Universities. These farms will be the major source of breeder stocks for the multiplier farms.

The Goat Multiplier Farm Module will consist of one buck plus 10 female goats that will be distributed to Priority I-3 provinces of the AHMP. The repayments in kind from the multiplier farms will be distributed or dispersed to smallhold farmers who are members of accredited farmers’ associations and cooperatives. Smallhold farmers will serve as the ultimate beneficiaries of the overall gain in the improvement program.

The second project is the Accelerating the Genetic Resource Improvement Program for Beef Cattle and Small Ruminants. The project hopes to address the development of beef cattle and small ruminants by setting up the network of genetic farms in both private and government. New bloodlines and quality breeder stocks will be loaned to farmers’ groups and cooperators, and ranchers to upgrade their stocks.

To sustain the sustainability, the identified nucleus farms will maintain and produce top quality breeders and distribute offspring to multiplier farms which they will multiply for distribution to farmers. A total of 1,800 head of small ruminants and 1,225 head of beef cattle will be distributed. The use of artificial insemination program will be implemented to hasten the diffusion of more genetically improved animals, cover more areas and improve production. The AI program will include the production of semen straws and importation of 10,000 doses of good quality semen from the USA, training of more LGU/RFU technicians, provisions of AI equipment to animal diagnostic laboratories in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and testing and selection of more male breeding animals.

The collaborating agencies in these projects are the BAI and the National Agricultural and Fishery Council. In support to the DA’s thrusts on livestock industry development for increase agricultural production and profitability to ensure food sufficiency in the country, BAI has been implementing various small ruminants projects, recognizing the importance of these in addressing poverty alleviation through food production, income generation and job opportunity provision. NAFC, on the other hand, assists the DA to generate resources to support the implementation of policies, programs and projects geared toward the development of agriculture and fisheries. It develops and maintains linkages with development assistance institutions of donor countries and local agencies engaged in coordinating commodity assistance programs. It also formulates measures for the effective and efficient management of official development assistance such as the US Public Law 480.

Supported by 20 major Philippine trade associations, Agrilink 2010 will be holding seminars, live animal display and other interactive activities. The event’s theme, “good Agricultural Practices: Key to Competitiveness,” will bring together local and international suppliers and exhibitors, highlighting the latest technologies and inputs that will improve efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability of the interconencted industries of food, agriculture and aquaculture. For more information, e-mail frld.agrilink@gmail.com.

Source: Goat projects to be showcased at Agrilink