The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is gearing up for this year’s livestock and dairy fair, one of the biggest events in Negros Occidental that underscores the province’s flourishing animal industry.
PVO personnel led by Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena on Thursday, February 16, met with members of the Negros Association of Animal Feed and Drug Suppliers (NAAFDS), the province’s partner in hosting the annual fair.
The fair is being held during the annual Panaad sa Negros Festival.
Themed “Producing Livestock, Providing Livelihood and Improving Lives,” this year’s activity will be on April 22 to 30 at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.
Alpha Grace Tupas, project development officer I of PVO, said they have initially discussed the logistics and physical setup of the fair, including the product display booths of association-members of NAAFDS.
She said the nine-day event will still include regular activities like “Lechonaad,” ceremonial turnover of livestock and poultry projects to recipient farmer-raisers, trade and exhibitions, seminars and trainings, among others.
“The annual fair has been one of the strong measures of the provincial government to further promote its growing livestock and poultry industry,” Tupas said.
Aside from providing Negrense animal raisers more income-opportunities during the festival, the initiative is also equipping them with knowledge and skills through seminars and trainings.
These seminars and trainings include value adding, meat processing, and poultry production particularly on free-range chicken and broiler.
Tupas said these will enable raisers to become entrepreneurs to improve their livelihood.
PVO will also introduce this year the emerging lamb sector by holding a processing seminar and cooking competition, she said.
“We are working on making the upcoming livestock and dairy fair more successful by covering and boosting more local raisers,” Tupas added.