DA-CAR presents Dairy Development Project

July 1, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture- Cordillera (DA-CAR) has come up with an aggressive dairy development project to boost dairy farming and improve economic livelihood in the region.
The multi-million Cordillera Dairy Project was presented during the “Kapihan sa Bukid” held at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC), formerly Baguio Dairy Farm on Thursday, June 27, 2019.
DA-CAR acting regional director Cameron Odsey led other agency officials in presenting the project, which is one of the highlights marking the agency’s 31st founding anniversary.
According to Dr. Leisly Deligen, Project Assistant Manager, the project “seeks to help address the challenges that brought about the country’s dependency on imported milk.”
The country imports 97 percent of dairy products, while local producers supply only three (3) percent based on data provided by the National Dairy Authority (NDA), an attached agency of DA.
Deligen said, “these challenges that continue to widen the local supply-demand gap are low productivity and production; high production cost; weak market linkages; and global competitiveness.”
He said the project, situated at the sprawling 94- hectare BABRC “controlled lot”, aims to: raise and breed pure lines of dairy; contribute in reducing the country’s reliance to milk imports; and
increase local milk production.
It will also showcase and promote modern and sustainable dairy technologies, and exhibit the project as an agri-tourism endeavor.
Deligen added that the project provides training programs and courses to target farmer-cooperators, and the ongoing pasture development for sustainable forage production.
An initial P15 million was utilized in the construction of dairy facilities and other farm equipment of the project which components include Operations Management; Research and Development; Extension Services; Marketing; among others.
Deligen pointed out that the re-establishment of the Dairy Development Project was initiated by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol and since 2017 through DA’s animal dispersal program, the agency has provided dairy cattle in various areas in the region.
As this developed, the ongoing “land dispute” confronting the BABRC is delaying the full developmental use of the agricultural area.
In a related development, DA-CAR planning officer Susan Balanza reported that the agency’s implementation of government programs and projects for 31 years have resulted to several positive impacts: Rice production that stood at 186,444 metric tons (mt) in 1988 has increased to 391,104 mt in 2018.
Corn increased to 242,850 mt in 2018 from a level of 28,177 mt in 1988.
She said Cordillera remained the top producer of temperate vegetables and white potato in the country supplying around 70% of the requirement of the country. Heirloom rice has also gained a share in the international market.
Balanza added that the following were also achieved: 539,095 farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs benefited through the various technical support services (production, extension, marketing, research and development, regulatory and laboratory); 1,501 small scale irrigation projects were installed, constructed and rehabilitated, restoring an area of 7,945 hectares and benefited an estimated 28,296 farmers.
For the period 2010 to 2015 through the agency’s various programs and projects, the following were also achieved: 867 farm to market roads constructed and rehabilitated with a total length of 553.56 kms benefiting an estimated 215,821 farmers in the six provinces of the region; 4,722 units of production and post-harvest facilities/machineries were distributed and constructed benefiting about 101,131 farmers;162 market related infrastructures (BFTs, MFTs, Organic Trading Post, Agri-Pinoy Trading Center) were constructed/established and it benefited 112,157 farmers.
 
Primo Agatep/ABN