SEVEN livestock associations and six local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have received P5 million worth of post-harvest facilities positioned to help spur economic development in the province.
The recipient-associations are Murcia Hog Raisers Association, La Castellana I Personnel Multipurpose Cooperative, La Castellana Hog Raisers Association, Alijis Livestock and Hog Raisers Marketing Cooperative, Talisay Backyard Hog Raisers Association, Himamaylan Hog Raisers Association, and Victorias Hog Raisers Association.
They received value-adding equipment like meat grinders, meat slicers, bone saw cutters, digital weighing scales, glass top chest freezers, upright chillers with freezer and vacuum packaging machines.
For LGUs, Salvador Benedicto, Hinoba-an, Calatrava, Kabankalan City, Sagay City, and Moises Padilla availed livestock weighing scales for cattle and detachable animal holding pens.
The provision of these equipment is under the Marketing Support and Post-Harvest Facilities Project of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).
It is mainly aimed at enhancing the capabilities of livestock associations and LGUs as active partners of the provincial government toward economic development.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, who spoke at the turnover over ceremony at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City Wednesday, September 4, said the project provides wider opportunity for animal raisers and organized livestock associations to engage in entrepreneurial activities.
Decena said the post-harvest facilities for the LGUs, on the other hand, are intended for the livestock auction markets and slaughterhouses they operate.
“Under the Abanse Negrense development agenda of the provincial government, we have a shared vision of leveling up the services and cascading the projects up to the grassroots to uplift the lives of local farmer-raisers,” he said.
Decena added that the provincial government, LGUs and other recipients also have shared responsibility in sustaining the project.
Another aspect of this development agenda is shared success, the provincial veterinarian further said.
“If these facilities will be properly and efficiently used by the local governments and farmers and are able to uplift the economic condition of the community then the program is successful,” he stressed.
The PVO, in its project brief, said the procurement of value adding equipment and machines will increase consumer demands regarding health, nutrition and convenience.
The purchase of livestock weighing scales and animal holding pens, meanwhile, will result in a fair, systematic and convenient livestock trading.
Animal holding pens help reduce stress, risk and injury to the animals, it said.
“The implementation of the project will spur economic development in Negros Occidental, through the creation of direct and indirect jobs, new business opportunities, increased market potential of the product, among others,” it added.
Decena pointed out that the provincial government has an agreement with the recipient-LGUs and livestock associations.
Under which, the facilities should be utilized within a year and are positively contributing to the growth of the recipients.
Decena said since this is not a dole out project, the provincial government can take back the facilities and transfer it to “deserving” LGUs and associations.
“Once we see that the production is doing good, we will eventually donate the facilities to the recipients,” he said, urging district veterinarians to monitor and provide technical assistance as it is their mandate to help implement the projects in the province.
For Alijis Livestock and Hog Raisers Marketing Cooperative in San Enrique, one of the recipient-associations, its chairperson Nancy Acak said the project will greatly help them especially now that the price of pork is low.
Their group received horizontal chest freezer, meat slicer, bone saw cutter, weighing scale and meat grinder.
“Having a meat shop will enable us to directly sell our produce without passing through middlemen so the income opportunity for us is better,” she added.
For his part, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who was also present at the activity, the province will always be there as a catalyst but he wants that the private sector will manage the project.
“We are here to help you but you should not always rely on government,” Lacson told the recipients, adding that the provincial government is ready to invest for other facilities that can help local farmers-raisers.
Meanwhile, also present during the turnover ceremony were Third District Board Member Andrew Montelibano, chairman of Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on agriculture, and Hinoba-an Mayor Ernesto Estrao.