The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) ushers sustainable carabao-based livelihoods to vulnerable communities through projects aligned with the DA’s “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra COVID-19” (ALPAS COVID-19) efforts.

This in line with its objective of mitigating the impact of the health crisis among its assisted farmers.

ALPAS COVID-19 aims to ensure food security, availability, and accessibility through various value innovations and development. DA-PCC implements this in four project components: Creating Opportunities Through Value Innovations and Development (COVID), Unlad Lahi Project (ULaP), Gatas, Isda, Gulay, at Karne (GIGK) , and Cara-Aralan. 

The projects were launched last May 28 in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija during the DA-PCC’s celebration of Farmers’ and Fisherfolks’ month. Initiatives related to these components are now obtaining across the DA-PCC network.

COVID project

onent, technologies and innovations on food production, processing, and value-adding are rolled out while the far-reaching socio-economic effects of the pandemic to carapreneurs are documented.

Related to innovation is the creation of two new commercially available Milka Krem products—Milkybun and Milk Pops, both packed with nutrient-rich carabao’s milk.

The Milkybun was particularly showcased in nearby localities as a relief good in DA-PCC’s community feeding program. As of June, a total of 3,260 Milkybuns were distributed along with 200 ml toned carabao’s milk to select children to help boost their immunity against COVID-19.

The beneficiaries were from the Science City of Muñoz; Brgy. Concepcion, Sto. Domingo; Brgy. F.E. Marcos and the “Tahanan ng Damayang Kristiyano”, a home for the aged, in San Jose City. 

Another activity under the project was to introduce technologies to farmers.

In Luzon and Visayas, these included demonstrations on the production of urea-molasses treated rice straw, silage, and urea-molasses mineral block. Hands-on trainings on milk collection, milk processing, machine operation  and quality testing, baking and pastries making, “cara-desal” making, artificial insemination and pregnancy diagnosis in large ruminants were also conducted. Simultaneous activities related to these topics were conducted in Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Iloilo, Antique and Bohol.

In Mindanao, a total 4,505.65 liters of milk were purchased by the agency from its select assisted cooperatives in Bukidnon utilized for community feeding.

Meanwhile, in South Cotabato, members of the Highland Agricultural Credit Cooperative (HACC) underwent social preparation and technical training in buffalo production and management systems.

In Zamboanga del Norte, a bull handlers’ training and orientation for select residents of LGU-Gutalac and artificial insemination and pregnancy diagnosis in Kalawit were conducted. A dairy processing facility and marketing outlets were established in Dapitan and  Tukuran. Said efforts are part of the Accelerating Livelihood and Assets Build up or ALAB-Karbawan under the DA-PCC’s Carabao-based Business Improvement Network (CBIN).

GIGK project

The GIGK project aims to create livelihood opportunities as source of income in areas that are economically strained by the pandemic. Specifically, the project espouses urban agriculture and village-based mixed farming systems. 

A major activity under the GIGK project is the simultaneous launching of “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Buffalo Milk on Wheels (BMW)” mobile store at the DA-PCC regional centers last May.

The Kadiwa BMW brings carabao’s milk and dairy products more accessible to local consumers whose access to nutritious foods were limited by the health situation. The products carried by the mobile store are made with carabao’s milk produced by DA-PCC-assisted dairy farmers.

Rolling out of the Kadiwa BMW complemented the simultaneous milk supplementation activities conducted by the DA-PCC in partnership with local government units, cooperatives, and other stakeholders.

Between May and June, a total of 84,055 li of milk was distributed to some 96,690 frontliners, children, senior citizens and other members of the vulnerable sector.

Various efforts to promote vegetables production were done. Such are the “Gulayan sa Barangay”, “Gulayan in Drums” and similar planting activities in the following sites: San Jose City, Nueva Ecija;  Ilocos Norte; Piat, Cagayan; Ubay, Bohol; Baybay City, Leyte;  and Maramag, Bukidnon.

Seeds of okra, eggplant, cucumber, malabar spinach (alugbati), tomato, squash, water spinach (kangkong), pechay, monggo, sweet potato vines, sweet corn seeds sorghum, bitter gourd (ampalaya), string beans, patola, taro, and chili peppers were distributed to farmers for free.  

Complementing this effort was the provision of organic fertilizer and carabao manure to Sindangan Crossbred Buffalo Raisers Association (SinCroBuRA) in Zamboanga del Norte and Brgy. Gabas, Baybay, Leyte.

In Bohol, a training and seminar on vegetable gardening, in collaboration with the DA-Bohol Experimental Station and Soil Water and Research and Demonstration Station, were conducted. It was   participated by members of the Lomangog Women’s Association, barangay health workers, and Lomangog Farmers’ Association.   Assistance was also provided in the land preparation of about 10.6 ha for forage and vegetable production. There is also an ongoing land preparation for the establishment of two crop-forage model farms.

Another partnership was with the DA-XII on the distribution of vegetable seeds to DA-PCC employees and select partner farmers in region XII.

Logistics and transport support to carabao-based enterprise activities of the Rosario Livestock and Agriculture Farming Cooperative, select DA-PCC at VSU-assisted farmers, and Bohol Dairy Cooperative (BODACO) were done such as assistance on milk processing, pick-up and delivery of milk products to the market as well as for milk feeding initiatives. 

A total of 32 milk cans, 410.70 kg of molasses, and 25 bags of feeds were given to the Muleta-Side Buffalo Dairy Association (MUSBUDA), Dologon Kisanday Buffalo Dairy Association (DOKIBUDA), and Don Carlos Buffalo Dairy Farmers Association (DCBDA) last May-June.

The project ensures a food secure Philippines especially in this time

of global health emergency period.

ULaP project

Focused not only on increasing milk and meat production, the ULaP is also geared towards helping displaced farmers by creating jobs and providing them livelihood.  

Aligned with ULaP, the Ruminant Research Clinic was launched in May in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. The facility caters to the  technical and veterinary needs of farmers and ruminant (carabao, cattle, goat, sheep) owners.

More than 100 carabaos for fattening, either for dairying or for breeding purposes, were entrusted to farmers.  Its beneficiaries are dairy farmers from Pigcawayan, President Roxas, Makilala, Mlang, and  Aleosan, North Cotabato; Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur; Dinalupihan, Bataan ; Lomangog, Ubay, and Getafe, Bohol; Las Castellana, Bayawan City, Bais City, Tanjay City, and Hinobaan,  Negros Occidental; and Panay, South Cotabato.  The Tayabo Agro-Entrepreneur Natures Innovators Movement, Calinog Farmers Agriculture Cooperative , HACC,  Carangcarang Dairy Farm and the province of Bataan were also entrusted with carabaos.

Equipment and supplies such as brush cutters, feed concentrates, four power sprayers, forage choppers, AI supplies, urea-molasses mineral block, and molasses were given to select cooperatives and associations assisted by DA-PCC regional centers.

The beneficiaries are farmers from Region II, Caraga region, Cotabato,  Misamis Occidental, Bohol (Lomangog, Ubay, and Getafe), and Kalilangan, Bukidnon. Local government units in Zamboanga Peninsula received AI supplies.

Logistic support for the provision of liquid nitrogen was done in Quezon, Camarines Sur, Magallanes, Cavite, and Laguna areas.

Service incentives were given to AI technicians assisted by the DA-PCC at VSU since June.

Water system support was provided to three dairy farmer clusters covered by DA-PCC at USF. The center also assisted Bohol Provincial Local Government Unit in the implementation of Agricultural Rural Transformation (ART) in dairy production in terms of animal registration, breeding, and animal health-related services.

A total of 52 recipients of carabaos under ALAB-Karbawan in Dapitan and Polanco in Zamboanga del Norte and Tukuran and Dumalinao in Zamboanga del Sur had their carabaos undergo pregnancy detection using ultrasound, artificial insemination, deworming, and uterine flushing. The animals were also supplemented with vitamins. 

CaraAralan project

The project utilizes e-learning, digitized IEC’s and training materials in sustaining access to information, education, and communication of farmers and carabao industry stakeholders. It also promotes the DA-PCC’s ALPAS COVID projects.

 The DA- PCC Knowledge Management Division hosted a webinar series entitled “Wastong Pangangalaga ng Kalabaw”. Its pilot topic on Calving Management was launched on May 29 and it was rebroadcasted. The webinar on best practices in breeding and artificial insemination was broadcasted in June.  The participants are from the Philippines and abroad.

On the side, the DA-PCC at USF facilitated face-to-face orientations and mentoring activities based on the webinars for AI technicians. The center also used modules for trainings in Cebuanao language. They are also in the process of developing promotional video materials about dairying for millennials.

DA-PCC at VSU officer–in-charge Arn Granda engaged in a radio program at DYSI Super Radio Iloilo 1323 KHz as guest to promote the CVIN program of the agency in the province of Antique.

Every Friday, “The PCC Hour” updates on DA-ALPAS project and Carabao Development Program  of the agency was aired over DXMU FM 88.9 and ushered by the DA-PCC at CMU. Meanwhile DA-PCC at USM airs news and updates of DA-PCC’s project in South Cotabato over Radyo Bandera 98.1 FM.

The DA-PCC continues to implement the DA-PCC ALPAS COVID-19 projects all over the Philippines. More initiatives are set to be conducted in the coming months that are sure to benefit not just farmers and stakeholders in the carabao industry but also the general public.