IN THE bid to develop a local brand of beef and position Negros Occidental as the center of cattle production in the Visayas, the Provincial Government has entered a consultancy agreement for cattle and farm diversification and tourism.
It tapped the expertise of Luis Francisco Martin as consultant with a fee of P1 per month effective February 17 until December 31 this year.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), in a statement, Wednesday, February 20, said that seeing the slow growth in the production volume of cattle in the province, there’s a need to adopt measures to increase population of the animal and sustain its overall growth.
Also, to answer the beef requirement of the Negrenses, the PVO said.
“In order to achieve the goal to make the province as cattle production center in the region and put in place post-harvest facilities as a key to developing and promoting Negros Beef there’s a need for his [Martin’s] expertise,” it added.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said the province is also encouraging cattle diversification among sugarcane planters and promote farm tourism to maximize farm income.
This is one of the keys to achieving such direction, he added.
Under the consultancy agreement, Martin is expected to provide services like developing plans and strategies particularly on cattle and farm diversification and tourism.
The consultant will also recommend matters or concerns affecting programs and projects and assist in promotion and development of cattle production and farm diversification; confer and coordinate with different departments in carrying out measures to ensure the delivery of basic services; and ensure that assistance and access to resources in cattle production, farm diversification and tourism are extended to farmers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders, among others.
The PVO said Martin is a cattle raiser and sugarcane planter thus, he possesses sufficient knowledge and technical expertise in cattle breeding, fattening and marketing, pasture development and management, sugarcane diversification and integrated farming.
He is also a known practitioner of organic farming and farm tourism.
At present, Martin is the president of the United Cattle Raisers Association in Negros Occidental and Visayas, and Director for Visayas of the Federation of Cattle Raisers Association of the Philippines.
The consultancy agreement has been concurred and endorsed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan through Resolution No. 0109, Series of 2020, last February 4.