FOURTEEN small and backyard livestock and poultry raisers assisted by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental have availed a total of about P5 million worth of Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The ACEF can be accessed through a loan program with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said in support to sustainable growth of the PVO-organized and assisted animal raisers organizations, the office is committed to render technical assistance to all interested animal raisers.

Decena said the assistance includes from preparation of their business or farm plans and proposals as well as budget to easily avail the loan program to the actual operation of the project.

“In fact, the PVO were able to prepare 26 business plans and endorsed the same to the LBP,” he said, adding that of the figure, 14 were able to receive financial assistance in the form of loan.

The ACEF program aims to increase productivity of farmers by providing the necessary credit to individual animal raisers and their cooperatives and associations, as well as micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) for the acquisition and establishment of production facilities and other farm inputs.

The maximum amount that can be availed by qualified individual animal raisers is up to P1 million each.

The PVO urged interested livestock and poultry raisers who would want to avail the program to visit the office in Bacolod City from Mondays to Fridays.

“We are willing to render technical assistance and cater to their needs,” its top official said.