In his first visit to PCAARRD recently, Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) Party List Representative Rico B. Geron expressed his appreciation of the Council’s ongoing programs and projects under the Livestock and Poultry Industry Strategic S&T Plan (ISP) titled “Livestock, Livelihood, Lifelines, and Lifestyle.”
PCAARRD Livestock Research Division (LRD) Director Edwin C. Villar showcased the ISP, which incidentally is aligned with the Department of Science and Technology’s Harmonized National R&D Agenda for 2013―2017. It has seven commodities, namely: dairy buffalo, native chicken, duck, goat, layer, swine, and feed resources.
Ongoing programs/projects include those under the National S&T Program on Slaughter Goat; National Dairy Goat S&T Program; National S&T Program for Swine; various programs/projects to help provide alternative feed resources (yellow corn) in livestock and poultry; and other projects on duck, native chicken, and dairy buffalo.
Geron noted the importance of LAMP assays and quick test kits for managing gastrointestinal infection of swine and the protein enrichment of copra meal as feed for swine and poultry.
“Both projects will be very beneficial to smallhold, backyard hog raisers once the technology is rolled-out; as such, will make their farms more efficient”, the Congressman said.
Geron also expressed his interest in the Council’s ongoing project on microbiological assessment of pork in Metro Manila slaughterhouses and wet markets and the development of a national pork traceability system.
“This initiative will provide the consumers quality and safe meat in the market” he remarked.
With promising outputs and outcomes of the livestock and poultry ISP, Rep. Geron expressed his enthusiasm to convene and facilitate engagement between PCAARRD and AGAP party list constituents.
He is also optimistic that PCAARRD can find farmer-cooperators within the AGAP group should PCAARRD need their support. He emphasized that this is a strategy to bring the technologies to the grassroots level and to ensure that these sectoral concerns get legislative attention in the House of Representatives.
Founded in 2003, AGAP aims to push for agricultural reforms and programs, government intervention, and general public awareness in the House of Representatives.
Because of AGAP’s advocacy on agriculture, Congressman Geron requested for a meeting with Dr. Faylon to discuss possible collaborative activities between the Council and the party list.
Dr. Faylon sees the meeting “as a testament to PCAARRD’s commitment in forging and sustaining engagement in both private and public sectors to achieve its goals and objectives.”