NEGROS ORIENTAL, November 3, 2021 – Eighty-five (85) farmers from Negros Oriental will venture into goat meat or chevon processing after attending three training activities from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program.
The training, conducted on October 12, 13, and 28 in different areas of the province, aims to capacitate beneficiaries on proper meat preservation and processing through salting, curing, fermenting, smoking, and cooking.
It is also part of their preparation to start their community-based enterprises.
The participants, who are beneficiaries of the program’s FY 2021 Improved Goat Production, were members of the following associations from Guihulngan, Tayasan, and Bindoy:
- Maluy-a Farmers Association,
- Samahang Nayon Association,
- KABALIKAT,
- Mahiusanhong Kalambuan sa Katawhan,
- Maglihe Farmer’s Association,
- Jilabangan Small Farmers Association, and
- Canluto Farmer (ACF).
ACF member Niforlyn Cadayona said, “Nakahibalo ta kung unsaon nato pagluto, unsaon nato pagmix sa hamburger patties, ug pork tapa… naghinaot ko nga madala nako ang mga gipangtudlo ngadto sa among panimalay para sa akong mga anak. Mabat-onan nato ang problemang financial pinaagi sa mga intervention nga gihatag sa SAAD, trainings nga gipanguluhan sa program, gitudloan kita unsaon pag negosyo puhon ug naa nay igong capital.”
Aside from the training, each farmer will receive goats (four does and a buck) worth Php 32,000, 4.5 sacks of feeds worth Php 1,500/each for Guihulngan beneficiaries, 3 sacks of feeds worth Php 1,650/each for Bindoy beneficiaries, and biologics worth Php 250/month on November 29.
The Improved Goat Production project in Negros Oriental has budget allocation amounting to Php 2.9 million – Php 1.3 million in Guihulngan, Php 808,650 in Bindoy, and Php 825,000 in Tayasan.
Importance of goat meat processing training towards enterprise
Through assessment, the SAAD Program in Negros Oriental found the need to enhance the goat farmers’ capacity to develop value-adding products.
As interventions were distributed, some farmers would usually sell their herd without knowing the possibilities of earning or increasing their income more.
Through the training, the farmers learned preserving and processing of chevon as well as marketing such as branding and packaging.
The list of ingredients and possible suppliers, recipes, and cooking procedures were shared with the participants.
The DA-SAAD helped the farmers venture into agripreneurship by building their confidence as well as guiding them on developing community enterprises, which are additional sources of income.
Also present in the training activities were Provincial Veterinary Office Chief Operations Officer Erlinda Vilan; Provincial Veterinary Office Agricultural Technologist Angelique Geromo; Municipal Agriculturist Richard Balauro; Municipal SAAD Focal Raylord Lumayag; Tayasan Agricultural technicians Mildred Villegas, Melony Salcedo, and Dan Barney Callao; and SAAD area coordinators Jess Gayan Lumain, Ralph Guinit, Princess Akimi Macabinguil, May Pialago, and Erwin Leyva.
Moving forward
The farmers will construct goat sheds and plant forages and silages in preparation for the project distribution. Tayasan beneficiaries also plan to request processing materials. ###
Writer: Jolina T. Daño, SAAD 7 Information Officer
Sources: Bindoy and Guihulngan Area Coordinator Jess Gayan Lumain and Tayasan Area Coordinator Airine Bugaldo
Photo documentation: Erwin JR. Leyva and Ralph Guinit
