DA consolidates backyard hog raisers into clusters

In an attempt to revive the country’s hog industry, who’s fighting a losing battle against the fatal animal disease African swine fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture (DA) will try to consolidate backyard hog raisers in clusters which will make it easier for them to implement biosecurity protocols.

The intervention involves the establishment of swine multiplier farms through clustering or village-level approach composed of 20 hog farmers each.

The DA, through its livestock program, will then provide every member with five piglets each, 20 bags of animal feed, and biologics, a move that will be supported by an emergency funding of ₱400 million.

Right now, most of the country’s hog population are raised in backyard farms, which normally don’t follow or can't afford to have the same strict quarantine protocols that commercial farms are implementing.

Hence, backyard farms are also the most badly hit in terms of ASF outbreaks.

“Clustering of hog raisers will help in the mitigation of potential deficit of pork supply in the country by the end of the year. We hope that if we get the budget for it, in six months’ time, we can boost the supply,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a virtual briefing on Thursday.

In May, the DA said that the Philippines will have a deficit of 31 days in pork inventory by the end of the year.

A couple of reasons for this, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), would be the country’s strict ASF policies, which still limit the movement of pork and live animals, as well as the fact that commercial farms, which were also slightly hit by the virus, remain cautious about their restocking programs because of the continuing outbreaks.

Dar said the clustering strategy will be first implemented in ASF-affected areas. He also designated DA Assistant Secretary for Livestock William Medrano as the project lead and implementer.

“We have earmarked ₱400 million to jumpstart the economic and income-generating activities in the livestock sector, particularly in some parts of Central Luzon and CALABARZON, where ASF was prevalent last year," Dar said.

"We must always calibrate our moves and not to lose sight of our commitment to see an empowered livestock and poultry sector, teeming with prosperous farmers. Thus, we in government will continuously provide smallholder farmers with opportunities to produce and earn more,” he added.

The clustering project is in line with the strategic interventions of Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) to be implemented by the DA’s National Livestock Program (NLP).