The fulfilled faces of the Farmers Livestock School on Goat Enterprise Management are evident during their culminating activity.
BANGA, Aklan - A two-week intensive training program on Farmers Livestock School on Goat Enterprise Management successfully concluded on September 20, 2024. Bringing together 18 Agricultural Extension Workers and seven farmer leaders from regions 6 and 7, the training began on September 9, 2024, to enhance their goat farming skills, mainly focusing on sustainable enterprise development. The program, which was a collaborative effort between the DA-National Livestock Program, Agricultural Training Institute RTC VI, DOST-PCARRD, Central Luzon State University, and the Federation of Goat and Sheep Producers and Associations of the Philippines Inc. (FGASPAPI) centered on enhancing the knowledge and management practices of goat farmers.
The participants identify the worms/coccidia and explain the different pathogens and their agents through fecal analysis during one of their hands-on activities.
The comprehensive training included goat nutrition, breeding, health care, housing methods, marketing, and business management. Throughout the workshops, specialists delivered scientific and practical training, allowing farmers to gain hands-on experience in goat rearing and managing their businesses. Subjects such as enhancing goat milk production, expanding herd size, and improving profitability through advanced farming techniques were discussed.
Ms. Mary Ann A. Ramos, Center Director of ATI Region 6, challenges the graduates to practice what they have learned from the training.
In her keynote address during the graduation ceremony, Center Director Mary Ann Ramos commended the participants for their dedication and emphasized the importance of goat farming as a potential economic driver for the region. "I urge you to carry forward the lessons learned and to inspire those around [you]. You have the potential to create the ripple effect that can transform lives, enhance livelihoods, and strengthen the agricultural landscape," she added.
According to Anna Marie Alo, FLS-GEM Developer and ISP Manager for Goat, DOST-PCAARRD extended her gratitude to ATI and participants for completing the training. She shared that the primary goal of FLS-GEM is to "provide the farmers with the essential expertise to manage their goat businesses effectively."
Participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the training. Mark Anthony A. Untal, one of the participants, shared how the training opened his eyes to the potential of goat farming. "Others may see goat raising as simple farming, but I realized that it could be a means to improve life. With the right technology, support from the government, and active AEWs, the goat industry could be at a new level in the livestock industry in the country," he shared.
In response to the participants' impressions, John Venturanza Salmorin, Technical Support Staff IV, shared that goat is a cut-across commodity for the region according to the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan. This training is a step forward in empowering the stakeholders through efficient and responsive extension interventions to achieve food security and poverty alleviation.
