Local gov’t units show interest in goat raising

Local governments units (LGUs) are now giving attention to goat raising.

An assessment made in 2001 by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), a sectoral council under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), showed that LGUs of Cebu and Pangasinan did not consider goats as part of their local government program. This dilemma affected goat raisers in the country because of low productivity rooted on lack of knowledge on proper management of goats. However, with the entry of the TAG 443 project, "Participatory Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Goats," LGU policies began showing changes. Such a change was seen in the local government of Liloan, Cebu, one of the project’s focal sites.

Barely six months into project imple—mentation, Dionesia Ochea, Liloan municipal agriculturist, expanded the project to other villages. She requested additional funding support from their Sangguniang Bayan. Because TAG 443 technologies had positive effects in Calero, Lilo-an, Cebu, it became easy for Ochea to persuade the local leaders of the merits of her proposal. They saw the potential of goat as a business enterprise and included such in their program. Eventually, fund was allocated and the project expanded into other villages, greased by the blessing from the Sangguniang Bayan. Goat deworming was also included as a regular program of the municipality.

Through Ochea’s initiative, P225,000 was initially granted to train new cooperators and buy goat stocks. Hence, the project’s technology training was echoed to initial expansion sites in Barangay Tabla and Yati.

At the local level, LGUs have made goat production a priority program. Funds came from the budget of the municipality and other collaborating agencies. It was brought about by the local government executives who recognize the potential of goats in improving the lives of their constituents. In fact, some of the LGU officials are also raising goats now, although at a small scale. However, at this stage, the expansion program is mostly through soft loan (repayment of stocks in kind). Further, even though funds for buying stocks are available, LGUs find it hard to source good stocks, as supply is still low. This encouraged the farmers to improve their production to meet the ever-increasing demand for goats. It has also caused local government personnel like Ochea to work harder to bring the torch of development to more goat keepers awaiting a brighter future.

The project was funded by the International Livestock Research Institute; Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development; and International Fund for Agricultural Development. – (Anna Marie P. Alo and Emily T. Lambio, S&T Media Service)