DA-PCC, DA-PCA partner for integrated farming project

 

Coconut farmers can have additional income under a farming system integrated with dairying.

This has recently been made possible following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) and the DA-Philippine Coconut Authority (DA-PCA) on the Coconut-Carabao Development Project (CCDP). 

Held last September 12 at the Milka Krem outlet in the University of the Philippines - Los Baños in Laguna and broadcast online, the MOA signing was spearheaded by Dr. Arnel Del Barrio, DA-PCC executive director, and Roel Rosales, DA-PCA deputy administrator for its operations branch.

“The CCDP aims to augment the income of coconut farmers through the carabao-based enterprise,” Paul Andrew Texon, DA-PCC focal person for the project, said. 

According to Texon, said agreement will run for two years covering 17 project sites nationwide.

Under the CCDP, the DA-PCC will implement initiatives with the assistance of DA-PCA. Such interventions include entrustment of animals, establishment of processing facilities through provision of equipment or supplies, establishment of market outlets, capacitation of value chain players, coordination with stakeholders, and monitoring and evaluation.

Initially, the identified farmers shall allocate sufficient land for the construction of animal housing and establishment of forage area. Meanwhile, the cooperative conduits are expected to utilize resources that can help usher development along the carabao enterprise value chain.

Institutionally, both DA-PCC and DA-PCA will be working with select municipal or provincial local government units for the provision of technical support services, monitoring, and allotment of space for marketing facilities.

The milk produced out of the CCDP is seen to contribute to the supply of milk required to implement RA 11037 or the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Program”, which rallies the National Feeding Program for undernourished Filipino children.

 

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