By John A. Bello LUCENA CITY – Swine farmers from Atimonan, Gen. Luna, Gumaca and Lopez - all in the province of Quezon – have enlist...
By John A. Bello
LUCENA CITY – Swine farmers from Atimonan, Gen. Luna, Gumaca and Lopez - all in the province of Quezon – have enlisted for a Farmers’ Field School on Sustainable Pig Farming (FFS-SPF) during the mass launching on Wednesday at Kalilayan Hall at the Governor’s Mansion Compound here.
The launching was led by Maritess Cosico, center director for Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Region 4-A; provincial veterinarian Dr. Flomella Caguicla, 1st district provincial board members Aileen Buan and Claro Talaga Jr.; and provincial government administrator Rommel Edaño representing Quezon Gov. David Suarez.
Cosico said the 20 weeks training at the 4 Quezon towns will be the first in the Calabarzon region and will insure an environment-friendly, healthy livestocks, good meat and lucrative income for pig farmers enlisted in the program.
Edaño expressed elation with the launching of the FFS-SPF and asked the participants to make the most of the training and technology offered by the program adding that the Quezon farmers have to rise to the challenge of competition in the era of globalization.
“Maaaring katuparan ito ng ating pamilya at katuparan ng pangarap ng ating Punonglalawigan para sa seguridad sa pagkain at kita ng ating mga magsasaka sa ating lalawigan,” said Edaño as he urged the swine farmers to copy from the experts at the FFS unlike in formal schooling “where copying is not allowed.”
According to Aaron Puno, agricultural technologist of the municipal agriculturist office in Lopez, about 25 to 35 participants will be undergoing 4 hours of training once a week for 20 weeks.
Five piglets will be provided by ATI-Reg. 4A which funded the program and participants will undergo a series of lectures, actual preparation of natural feed, concoctions, educational tour, field day, harvest festival and graduation.
At the end of the course, the swine farmer-participants will have a harvest festival which included mass eating and merry-making, sale of the animals and continuation of the project.
According to Cosico, the conventional pig farming system allows farmers to earn only up to P500 per head of the pig but with the use of technology the farmers will be earning up to P2,000 per head.
Caguicla said the natural pig farming system will raise tastier and healthier pigs and trained technicians will be assigned in the target municipalities.
The training will start in January and will end in June and there will be a mass graduation in Sta. Cruz, according to Cosico.
Cosico noted that traditional backyard farming is fast disappearing so that a new natural farming system using technology and training has to be undertaken for famers to earn more.
Buan expressed eagerness to duplicate the technology and training in her 1st district joking but stressing that ‘we are not engaged here in mere piggery act but in a sustainable pig farming method where the farmers will surely earn.”
During the launching Cosico, Caguicla, Edaño and Talaga led the participants in the signing of the pledge on commitment to insure the success of the program.
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