PADRE GARCIA, Batangas — Recognizing the major contribution of livestock industry the local economy of Batangas, twenty-five extension workers from across the province were capacitated during the three-day Hay, How, and Wow: Training on Forage and Pasture Establishment, Management, and Silage Making from June 17-19, 2025, held at MoCa Family Farm RLearning Center Inc., Brgy. Castillo in this town.
Spearheaded by the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) CALABARZON, in collaboration with MoCa (an accredited Extension Service Provider) and Batangas Provincial Veterinary Office, the training aimed to strengthen the capacity of local extension workers in establishing and managing forage and pasture systems to address the rising concern of feed shortages and ensure livestock productivity in the province.
With livestock farming being a major industry in Batangas, the training is expected to contribute significantly to the sustainability and profitability of local animal production, offering viable alternatives to commercial feeds and promoting environmentally sound practices.
Participants were immersed in both classroom lectures and practical hands-on sessions, covering topics such as ruminant nutrition, forage species identification, pasture establishment, silage and hay processing, and business planning.
“This training opened my eyes to the importance of pasture management. I used to think silage was only for big farms, now I know it's something even smallholder farmers like me can do, and benefit from,” shared April Jamae Vilog, one of the participants from Lemery, Batangas.
The training also granted 9 continuing professional development (CPD) units for agriculture professionals.
News by: James Bautista (Intern, ISS)
