On May 10, 2021, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, declared Proclamation No. 1143, - “State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) Outbreak.” As a consequence, the Department of Agriculture (DA) launched the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program and Bantay ASF sa Barangay or BABAy ASF Program, programs which are aimed to institutionalize biosecurity and disease control measures along with calibrated repopulation and enhancement of the local swine industry to recover from the economic disaster caused by the ASF outbreak. The program also aims to recover the industry’s capacity to locally produce sufficient supply of hogs and pork and urged the private sector such a Farmer Cooperatives and Associations (FCA) to participate in the repopulation program.
The ASF affected farmers in Cagayan experienced financial losses from the epidemic. As a result, most smallholder pig farms lost their incomes and struggled to repay loans, and because of biosecurity requirements, most backyard farms closed and the pigs were culled. Data also revealed that most actors in the value chain suffered significant losses because of ASF.
In Cagayan province, prospective INSPIRE program recipients were identified, and after passing the criteria, three (3) Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs), namely: (1) Mabuhay Agri-Crop Multipurpose Cooperative in Piat, Cagayan; (2) San Mariano Agrarian Reform Cooperative at Lallo, Cagayan; and (3) Mt Cagua Agrarian Reform Cooperative at Sta Clara Gonzaga Cagayan were approved. As program recipients, they will receive PHP5.5 million in aid, which includes pigs, feeds, and a modern pig facility with ventilation system, a biogas facility, a caretaker shower room, and a perimeter fence.
The project would speed up efforts to repopulate pigs so that there would be a steady supply of high-quality hogs and help the local market sell more high-quality pork. The above-named ARBOs are being assisted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) thru the various technical assistance available under its CARP support services for agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Photos by: Emely Salvatiera and Joyce Calubong
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| Launching of the DA-INSPIRE program at Mabuhay Agri-Crop Multipurpose Cooperative, Warat, Piat, Cagayan. |
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| Launching of DA-INSPIRE program San Mariano Agrarian Reform Cooperative at Lallo, Cagayan |
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| Launching of DA-INSPIRE program at Mt Cagua Agrarian Reform Cooperative at Sta Clara Gonzaga Cagayan. |
