Surigao Norte’s town farmers receive carabaos from Bureau of Animal Industry
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — To help solve the shortage in the local meat supply and strengthen farmers’ livelihoods, the Department of Agriculture–National Organic Agriculture Program (DA-NOAP), through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), distributed 50 carabaos to farmers in Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte.
Held on August 18, the dispersal is part of the BAI’s Organic Large Ruminants Dispersal Program aimed at strengthening carabao production and promoting sustainable livelihoods through livestock raising and care.
The beneficiaries were selected from Barangays Union, Upper Libas, Lower Libas, Laurel, Aurora, Himama-ug, and Opong. Each beneficiary received one female carabao that is of reproductive age and ready for breeding and raising. This support is expected to provide more opportunities to further improve their livelihoods.
For Rodel Buasa, a beneficiary from Barangay Opong, the program is a big help to their families and community. “This is a huge help to us. We will take care of it, grow and multiply our carabaos so we can share them with our fellow farmers. Through this, the carabao population will grow and help our livelihoods.”
To ensure the sustainability and expansion of the dispersal, the project implements a pay-forward scheme, in which each beneficiary will give the first offspring of their received carabao to the next qualified beneficiary.
Part of the sustainability plan is the LGU’s assistance in marketing and value-adding services for beneficiaries, including plans to establish a slaughterhouse to improve the processing and selling of their products.
For additional protection, beneficiaries received free livestock insurance through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
Prior to the dispersal, the 50 beneficiaries also participated in the April 21–22 training on organic carabao production to deepen their knowledge and skills in proper carabao care, raising, and breeding.
Aligned with the mandate of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., this government initiative represents a comprehensive approach to rural agricultural development and helps address immediate economic needs while building long-term community resilience. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from DA-BAI Caraga)