DA-PRDP awards 1st cattle micro enterprise in CAR

VILLAVICIOSA, ABRA – The long wait is over for farmers after receiving the first tranche of cattle delivery for their micro enterprise subprojects on Cattle Fattening and Marketing Enterprise to get their businesses officially on the go.

Funded under the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DAPRDP) with equity from the Municipal Government of Villaviciosa, three out of the nine farmer associations that were issued with No Objection Letter 2 (NOL2) received 69 heads of upgraded male Brahman breed on May 16 at the Municipal Hall of Villaviciosa, Abra.

These micro enterprises were initially proposed to augment the losses incurred in their farm lands caused by typhoon ‘Lando’ in 2015. Among the first batch who received 23 heads each were the Callao Farmers Association, Inc., the Bolilising Farmers Association, Inc., and the Tukib Farmers Association, Inc.

As per business plan, each association will receive 33 heads to cater 33 farmer members for one cycle production period. It will be distributed to eligible members of the association with one to two heads per farmerrecipient depending on the member’s capability.

Each recipient will fatten the cattle for at least 6-8 months from purchase of stock. It will be sold per live weight basis upon reaching the marketable weight of 325 kilograms per head.

Jeremias Dalligos, a farmer from Bolilising said these project is of great help to provide for his family and an add-on to his livelihood.

“This project is beneficial for us farmers since we can use the cattle in transporting our products while fattening it, and we also hope that it can be multiplied,” he added in local dialect.

To sustain the project, the total acquisition value will be retained at the association to purchase stocks

for other members to benefit and one percent of the gross sales shall be charged by the association as part of their capital build up.

All 207 heads (1st tranche) of upgraded male Brahman breed are expected to be delivered by the end of the month, while the second tranche (90 heads) shall be delivered upon the liquidation of the first tranche. Elvy Taquio/DA-PRDP CARPCO InfoACE Unit