“Babaha ng gatas sa Nampicuan!”
This is the vision of 22 Nampicuan farmers after they received 25 head of crossbred buffaloes through an entrustment activity held this morning in Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija.
The activity is part of the implementation of the Expanded Gatasang Kalabaw Convergence Project under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program.
EPAHP is a convergence project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), DA-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM). These government agencies collaborated to increase the volume of locally produced milk in support of the government’s feeding program. It also aims to provide poor farmers with capability-building and livelihood interventions on carabao-based enterprise to improve their economic conditions.
The DSWD is in charge of the provision of seed capital funds and community mobilization funds; the DA-PCC is in charge of social preparation, the provision of buffaloes, and the provision of production support services; the DTI is responsible for entrepreneurial training; and POPCOM on the provision of responsible parenthood and family planning trainings.
“Mahirap ang prosesong ginawa ng mga government agencies para mabigyan kayo ng mga gatasang kalabaw kaya ingatan at paghusayan ninyo ang pag-aalaga upang magkaroon ng maraming produksyon ng gatas sa lugar natin,” said Victor Badar, municipal mayor of Nampicuan.
Dr. Caro Salces, deputy executive director of DA-PCC, inspired the recipients to thrive in carapreneurship.
“Kaagapay kayo ng gobyerno natin sa pagpapataas ng milk sufficiency at nang hindi na natin kailangan pang mag-angkat ng gatas mula sa ibang bansa,” Dr. Salces said.
Prior to the entrustment activity, DA-PCC, through the National Dairy Business Hub (NDBH), conducted social preparation trainings (SPT) and Basic Buffalo Production Management (BBPM) for the recipients. The agency is also conducting continuous monitoring to ensure that the population of dairy buffaloes in Nampicuan will multiply.
The recipients are members of the Nampicuan Dairy Association (NDA), whose dream is to be among the faces of success in carapreneurship and foster milk production in Nampicuan.
Edilberto Aliado, president of the association, expressed his gratitude and support to the collaborating agencies.
“Ang proyektong ito ang patunay sa kasabihang: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” Edilberto expressed.
