The DA-Philippine Carabao Center at University of Southern Mindanao in collaboration with Sta. Catalina Multi-Purpose Cooperative launched the first-ever Farmer Livestock School on Dairy Buffalo Production (FLS-DBP) in Cotabato Province.
During the opening program held on March 16, DA-PCC Knowledge Management Division Chief Dr. Eric Palacpac gave emphasis on the importance and goal of FLS-DBP which is to allow the farmers to discover and learn through experimentations and testing until they can develop the right and suitable technologies for their localities, problems, resources and capabilities.
“FLS-DBP offers you a basket of options not a package of technology. We will let you select which practices fits in your preferences or in your area. Unlike with traditional trainings, FLS-DBP gives bite size of information for your easy digestion or intake of knowledge,” Rovelyn Jacang, KMD Staff, added.
In addition, DA-PCC at USM Center Director Benjamin John C. Basilio encourages the farmer-enrollees about the advantage of attending learning events.
“We can gain knowledge by attending different trainings. It is not only the training per se, but also by the shared experiences of your co-attendees we can gain new initiatives that we can replicate in our farms. Fortunately, the FLS-DBP focuses on this approach of learning by collecting ideas, experiences, and practices from different farmers,” Director Basilio said.
On the same day, Jacang together with Cristine Joy Del Rosario, Nasrola Ibrahim, Raquel Bermudez, Airene Rigon, and Rodolfo Valdez Jr. of DA-PCC facilitated the first two lessons which are understanding the FLS-DBP and the potential of dairy buffalo production.
Moreover, former graduates of FLS-DBP such as Jessa Grace Casanillo, Rodante Constantino Jr., and Dominic Paclibar were invited to facilitate and discuss lessons for the succeeding classes.
This year’s FLS-DBP, first-ever in Cotabato province and second for the Region XII, is a season-long workshop that will run every Friday until July 8, 2022, which will be guided by accredited FLS-DBP facilitators.
Meanwhile, Sta. Catalina MPC Operations Manager Wendell Amoronio encourages their 16 selected co-op member-enrollees in FLS-DBP to actively participate.
“One of the bases for you to avail of our buffalo is by attending related trainings. DA-PCC at USM gives trainings for us to be capacitated and competent in dairy buffalo production,” reminded Amoronio.
Sta. Catalina MPC in Pres. Roxas, one of the co-op conduits of DA-PCC under ALAB-Karbawan Project, practices communal dairy farming. Eventually, the co-op decided to dole out the dairy animals for the betterment of their members who have enough knowledge on dairying.
