SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Ilocos Sur is expected to produce more carabao calves and fresh buffalo milk after the Department of Agriculture (DA) turned over 100 crossbred female buffaloes to the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives (NSCC) under a Buffalo Agistment Service Agreement.
DA’s Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) led the initial turnover held recently at the NSCC Farmville in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur.
The event is a key component of the Dairy Herd Buildup Project (DHBP), funded by the Office of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar.
The project aims to boost local dairy stocks and milk production by establishing dairy buffalo agistment farms. The farms will be evaluated to determine whether or not these can be sustained for a dairy herd buildup across the Philippines.
Under the Buffalo Agistment Service Agreement, NSCC will rear 100 female buffaloes for one year.
Once the buffaloes’ pregnancies are confirmed, they will be entrusted to eligible cooperatives or associations to enhance milk and meat production capacities.
This initiative aims to boost calf and milk yields, fostering a robust and sustainable dairy industry.
Ultimately, this project is expected to significantly contribute to the province’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in milk production.
NSCC has been a leading implementer of DA-PCC programs, consistently expanding its buffalo herd since 2019 and playing a vital role in supplying milk to various Department of Education’s (DepEd) Schools Division Offices through school-based feeding programs.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Jeremias Singson highlighted the provincial government’s commitment to improve the agricultural sector, emphasizing steadfast support for farmer-benefiting programs.
He lauded the turnover as a concrete manifestation of this support and expressed eagerness to utilize similar programs offered by DA-PCC for the province.
Singson thanked DA-PCC for spearheading the project and challenged the community to uphold organic farming principles, promote environmental sustainability, and enhance community well-being.
NSCC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Divina Quemi expressed her gratitude for the trust placed in NSCC and expressed hopes that the buffaloes would significantly boost milk production to meet the DepEd’s feeding program requirements.
She also emphasized the project’s potential to enhance the economic well-being of local dairy farmers, advocating for continued collaboration between DA-PCC, NSCC, and the provincial government.
DA Undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias Victor Savellano also delivered a video message extending his support to the DHBP and highlighting the collective efforts of the department to enhance agricultural productivity, promote sustainable livelihoods, and foster economic growth in the community.
He said that the project not only brings transformative changes but also new opportunities for income and development.
He encouraged the NSCC to continue its collaboration with various agencies and stakeholders as it strives to strengthen its role in enhancing the nutrition of schoolchildren and vulnerable families. By April M. Bravo
