NAPAKALAKI ng potensiyal ng industriya ng kambing, tupa at iba pang katulad na hayop na “small ruminants” sa ating bansa upang maisulong ang pag-unlad ng mga mamamayan laluna sa kanayunan.
Dahil dito, iniakda ni Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang Senate Bill 2262 (Establishing the Philippine Small Ruminants Center) na ang. layunin ay “to enhance and accelerate the development of the small ruminants sector as a sunshine industry that will lead to increased meat and milk production for the country, better income for farmers, employment opportunities for rural folks, establishment of agro-enterprises, and ultimately, improved living conditions in our farming communities…”
Ayon kay Jinggoy, mayroong kasalukuyang Small Ruminants Center (src) sa Central Luzon State University (CLSU), pero kailangan nito ng mas malaking suporta ng pamahalaan.
Pangunahing mga tungkulin ng itatayong Center ang mga sumusunod:
1) Conserve, improve and develop the Philippine goat, sheep and other small ruminants as sources of animal milk, meat and fiber; 2) Enable farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, to avail of good quality goat and sheep stocks at all times and at reasonable prices through an organized program of breeding and development; 3) Increase the local supply of meat, milk and fiber goats, sheep and other small ruminants; and 4) Encourage backyard goat, sheep and other small ruminants development in rural areas by raising goat and sheep which are good milk and meat producers so as to reduce importation of milk and milk by-products.
Nakasaad pa sa panukala na: 1)The Philippine Small Ruminant Center is hereby created with the National Center based in the CLSU, and with satellite centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; 2) The Center in Visayas shall be the Visayas State University (VSU) in Leyte. The center in Mindanao shall be the DA-Bagalupa Stock Farm in Zamboanga del Sur; 3) Other satellite centers in any region of the country may also be organized and operationalized whenever there are State Colleges and Universities (SUC’s) in agriculture in such areas.