MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/07 September) — To boost its own goat dispersal program, the provincial government of Bukidnon will open next year a P2.2- million goat breeder farm in Manolo Fortich town, according to a report from the Provincial Veterinary Office.
Gov. Alex Calingasan earlier announced this would be among his projects, to address the needs of select farmers who are into goat-raising projects under the livelihood program funded by the provincial government.
Dr. Nancy V. Diez, PVO chief, said they have started clearing a five-hectare pasture land in Barangay Diklum in Manolo Fortich an hectare of which is intended for the barn.
The breeder farm will also serve as a techno-demo and production farm for the local government to showcase modern organic farming technologies.
The provincial government has announced the creation of the breeding center as a source of breeding stocks to farmer-beneficiaries of the livelihood project.
It is pushing for the promotion of goat breeding as a household enterprise for additional income.
Diez said in her undated report that the upgraded breeding goats are cross-bred with high quality bucks.
Based on the project description, after eight months, offspring from the farm will be dispersed to beneficiaries. The provincial government plans to distribute a buck and three does to each recipient.
Recipients will be required to maintain a 600-square meter improved pasture near the goat house. But they will be asked to repay the same number of offspring to the provincial government which will be given to other beneficiaries in what Diez described as a rollover scheme.
The PVO considers the goat as a poor man’s cow.
Integrating goat production in the local government’s agriculture program is intended not only to narrow the protein gap but also to maintain farmland productivity. They plan to use goat manure as a source of organic fertilizer. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
