The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) recently reviewed four completed projects of the halal goat program.
Titled, “Innovative systems in advancing halal goat production in Region XII and ARMM,” the program review was held at the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) Tacurong Campus.
The PCAARRD delegation for the review was headed by its Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development, Dr. Edwin C. Villar, who served as one of the evaluators together with Dr. Clarissa Yvonne Domingo of Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and Prof. Thaddeus Acuña of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao.
SKSU President Rolando Hechanova received the participants and guests. He also acknowledged the support of PCAARRD to SKSU's R&D program, especially on halal goat.
The halal goat program, which is part of PCAARRD’s National Goat S&T Program, was initiated to address the absence of halal goat production and haram detection protocols in the region as well as farmers’ limited knowledge on proper production and post-production practices.
Experts explained that halal system, as it applies to food, incorporates the concept of ‘farm to plate,’ and covers the entire halal food quality assurance. This is to promote hygiene and good health as prescribed by Allah and Prophet Muhammad, based on Islamic belief (Marita A. Carlos, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).