Models for Crossbred Carabaos Enterprise
on Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) system were conducted, including the preparation of seven PME forms on animal breeding and reproduction, animal health, animal nutrition, milk production and handling, animal technician services, waste management, and animal inventory. Capability Building and Strengthening. In coordination with the Cooperative Development Authority, two batches of training on Cooperative Management and Good Governance were carried out and were participated in by 40 primary cooperatives and one secondary cooperative. Another seminarworkshop delved on the amendments of Cooperative Constitutions and Bylaws, which were participated in by 28 primary cooperatives.
Regional Impact Zones (RIZ) There are 43 existing cooperatives/associations composed of 1,075 carabao owners who are engaged in carabao-based enterprises, in the designated Regional Impact Zones (RIZs) in Luzon and Visayas. The most notable dairy buffalo cooperatives are based in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Cebu, and Bohol.
6 Annual Report 2011
In 2011, nationwide aggressive efforts were channeled to organizing the owners of crossbred carabaos produced out of AI and bull loan programs, and these initiatives resulted in 57 newly organized dairy/meat based cooperatives and associations in 12 regions of the country. In addition, 62 smallholder-farmers in Lupao, Nueva Ecija were organized into associations and were engaged in a buffalo grow-out project. The grow-out project is a very interesting new modality as there are increasing number of dairy farmers who are less interested to raise their young calves to breeding age. Grow-out models such as this has proved to be monetarily rewarding as well. San Agustin (Isabela) Project. San Agustin is a program-cooperating municipality that has been participant in massive AI program for more than 10 years now. Currently, there are 1,308 household-carabao owners representing 32% of the total household population, of which, 467 households (12%) own 1,841 crossbred buffalos (CBs).
The San Agustin CBED Project started in August 2010 and through 2011 is able to establish the basic social infrastructures crucial in staging its transformation towards a CBED model for crossbred buffaloes (CBs). To date, there are 13 dairy associations with total membership of 401 farmers in 13 priority barangays out of total 23 barangays. These dairy associations have undergone capacity building activities in line with organizational and leadership development, management and dairy production, and milk collection.