DAVAO DE ORO, February 10, 2022 – Each 34 farmers’ associations (FAs), with 1,360 members, across 11 municipalities of Davao de Oro received 40 upgraded goats to supplement the program’s other livelihood projects on banana, abaca, itik, and chicken.

The project cost Php 13.5 million, consisting of 1,360 ruminants (1,224 does, 136 bucks) alongside various biologics (dewormer, antibiotics, multivitamins).

“Kani, makapadungag jud sa ilahang panginabuhian. Gihatag nato sa ilaha tanan, naa tay training beforehand ug naa pud tay technical briefing sa distribution. Kita sa region nanghinaot nga ilaha jud ning mapa-lungtad,” SAAD 11 Focal Naomi C. Lamata said.

(This will add to their livelihood. We’ve provided them as much as we can, we had (goat) training beforehand and we also had technical briefing upon distribution. We hope that they can sustain it.)

The upgraded goat production project has been a stalwart livelihood intervention of SAAD Region 11 since its pilot year in 2018. For this round, the program focused on FAs in lieu of individual beneficiaries for entrepreneurial development.

Upgraded Goats

SAAD 11 distributed the upgraded goats in a 1:9 pairing ratio with each FA receiving four (4) bucks and 36 does at 8-10 months old, weighing at least 17 kg. The offspring are from a native breed and either an Anglo-Nubian or Boer pairing.

Additionally, all distributed goats were certified free of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) and Brucella by the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory’s (RADDL) veterinarians before delivery. In case of death within 7 days after distribution, the beneficiaries are entitled to a replacement.

Aside from being hardy, upgraded goats pose better monetary rewards for FAs within a year of distribution. Technically, a doe can be impregnated twice a year with 1-2 offspring each pregnancy. In Davao de Oro, a 15kg doe starts at Php 3,500 when sold by liveweight.

Distribution

Most FA-beneficiaries were previously identified as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) or End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) areas, sometimes both, and delivery and distribution took a couple of months before completion.

“Dawaton jud namo ni nga kinasing-kasing gayud ug walay pagtaphaw. Mapasalamat kami ug dako,” Eugene Cabalida, chairperson for Sangab Integrated Farmers Association, said. “Rest assured nga kani amoang alagaan ug palungtaron.”

(We receive this wholeheartedly and not superficially. We are grateful. Rest assured that we will take care of it and we’ll make it prosper.)

“Ang amoang plano, ang permerong anak ibalik jud, isa man o duha. Pagkahuman ana, sa miyembro na iyahang gi-amoma, tapos ang mabalik sa asosasyon, palungtaron,” Amado Magtana, Langgawisan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (LARBA) chairperson, shared.

“Our plan is that the firstborn (kid) will be given back (to the association). After that, the members will own what they steward. The kids given back to the association, we’ll sustain.” ###

Writer: James Brian R. Flaga, SAAD RPMSO 11 Information Officer
Source: DA-SAAD Davao de Oro