The native animal industry needs to be self-sufficient to meet growing demands and address the rising prices of food products, Senator Cynthia Villar said as she stressed on the importance of giving the sector training programs.
Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said trainings will update the skills of farmers and native animal producers and equip them with modern knowhow and technology to improve production and increase income.
“Trainings will update the skills of farmers and native animal producers and equip them with modern knowhow and technology to improve production and increase income.”
‘It’s a never-ending cycle of trainings, seminars, production, marketing, and planning. There is always room for improvement. You must always be open to learning new things and strategies,’ the seasoned legislator told the 50 participants who attended a two-day training for trainors on native animal production held at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Las Piñas.
‘It’s a never-ending cycle of trainings, seminars, production, marketing, and planning. There is always room for improvement.”
The training was offered jointly by the Villar SIPAG Foundation and the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture (DA). It was attended by animal breeding experts and meat producers from Batangas, Camarines Sur, Bacoor, Dasmariñas, Laguna, Masbate, Las Piñas, Makati, Pasay, Taguig, Quezon and Rizal.
Participants were taught native animal development, native duck production and management, native pig production and management, native chicken production and management, and the use of natural feeds for native animals.
Data from the DA shows that meat consumption among Filipinos has increased from 15 kilos per person (historical figure) to 35 kilos per person per year. However, 65 percent of local livestock is still raised in small-scale backyard farms.
The seasoned lawmaker is the author of Senate Bill No. 144, or the proposed “Philippine Native Animal Development Act of 2016”, which seeks to promote the scientific propagation, processing, utilization and development of native animals. It likewise proposes the creation of the Philippine Native Animal Development Center (PNADC) in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and native animal growers’ cooperatives and organizations.
