Some eight heifer carabaos aged two to three years old were given to the Strong Farmers Association and 14 Large white piglets were given to the Samonte Rural Improvement Club in a simple turnover ceremony held recently at Barangay Samonte this municipality.
A piggery structure was also constructed with PAMANA-ARA providing for the materials as well as the feeds and biologics for the piglets.
Atty. Judith Patriarca-Mantos, provincial agrarian reform program officer II of DAR-Sibugay told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in an interview that the heifer carabaos would be given to the members of the Strong Farmers Association who do not have any working animal.
She said the first calf of these carabaos shall be owned by the recipient-farmers while the mother shall again be loaned out to other farmers who have yet to acquire a working animal, and so on. This cycle would continue, she said, until all of the members of the organization shall have their own working animals.
All members of the Samonte Rural Improvement Club, on the other hand, shall take part in taking care of the piglets.
Atty. Patriarca stressed that “the piggery project aims to increase the family income of the project beneficiary.”
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for the help extended by PAMANA-ARA.