A total of 1,546 heads of swine, sheep, and poultry, worth P525,000, were turned over May 28 to farmer associations and LGU recipients in Negros Occidental as livelihood support.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the turnover as part of the continuing implementation of various animal productivity programs and initiatives of the province under the Provincial Swine Industry Recovery Initiatives, Animal Genetic Improvement, and Livelihood Program, spearheaded by the Provincial Veterinary Office, under provincial veterinarian, Dr. Placeda Lemana.
The farm animals for breeding and livelihood are sourced from the two provincial farms, the Negros First Ranch in Murcia and the Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm in La Carlota City.
The recipients include 19 farmers’ associations, three farm schools, LGUs, and the Philippine Army, the Capitol said May 28.
The distribution of breeder weanlings and castrated male hogs for fattening forms part of the province’s continuing swine industry recovery and repopulation program, aimed at restoring local hog production, strengthening food security, and providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to beneficiaries affected by previous challenges in the livestock sector.
The poultry dispersal program for civil society associations and eco-tourism groups practicing organic farming, meanwhile, seeks to help beneficiaries reproduce and expand their poultry resources, which will eventually serve as a sustainable source of food, additional income and livelihood for their members, while promoting organic and environmentally responsible farming practices.
Rams, or male small ruminants, will be loaned to institutional stakeholders advocating organic agriculture and integrated farming systems.
This initiative is intended to support livestock production and sustainable farming practices as the province prepares for the upcoming World Organic Congress 2027, where participating farms and institutions are being developed as potential tour and visit sites for delegates and participants. ||
