DA-BABRC’s Native Pigs and Certified Coffee Seedlings Reaches the Iwak Community of Itogon, Benguet

July 31, 2021 Community Billboard

Domolpos Ansipsip Ancestral Domain Indigenous Peoples Organization (DAADIPO) in Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet received 3,000 certified Arabica coffee seedlings and an initial of 24 native piglets from the DARFO CAR’s Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC), formerly known as the Baguio Stock Farm or the Baguio Dairy Farm.
The coffee seedlings valued at PhP75,000.00, will augment the existing coffee trees in the community directly benefiting 45 members towards the development of coffee production in the community.
The indigenous community generally raise coffee trees in homesteads within their ancestral domain with an average of 100 trees per household.
The native pigs estimated at PhP60,000.00 will directly benefit 20 members in support to their pursuit to repopulate their domain with native pigs. The community used to be abundant with native pigs not until the sweet potato or camote, the source of natural feeds, was affected by the fusarium wilt epidemic in the region.
These interventions were facilitated through DA’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program, in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), that aims to help develop the ancestral agricultural lands of the indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) in order to improve its productivity by developing sustainable agricultural enterprises and profitability by increasing their income in consideration with their customs, traditions, values, beliefs and interests.
“I am grateful for the continued effort by the 4K Program to reach out and help marginalized communities in the highlands, populated by
indigenous peoples. Our involvement in this quest is pursuant to the current strategy of the DA for convergence. It inspires and encourages us at BABRC to redouble our efforts to produce more quality planting materials and animal stocks in support to the 4K thrusts and those of other development projects and programs for our farmers”, said Mr. Robert L. Domoguen, OIC Chief of BABRC.
Additional coffee seedlings and animal stocks will be further sourced out from BABRC to support crop and livestock development projects of other indigenous cultural communities supported by the 4K Program.
DA-CAR 4K RPMO MJMA