Native swine production technologies take off

The Department of Agriculture- Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), in a bid to promote native swine production technologies, has partnered and conducted with the Bureau of Animal Industry-Native Swine and Poultry Research and Development Center (BAI-NSPRDC) and DA-Quezon Agricultural Experiment Station (QAES) a site reconnaissance in preparation for the establishment of technology demonstration sites for native swine production.

In the Philippines, native swine is popularly served as roasted pig or “lechon” during festivities and occasions. With the increasing demand for healthy and nutritious food brought about by the escalating trend of health conscious individuals, native swine is one commodity to fit in.

Based on the DA-BAR funded project titled, “Demonstration and commercialization of native swine production technologies in selected areas in the Philippines”, roasted native swine is highly preferred by consumers because it is tastier and has crispier skin and leaner meat as compared to “lechon” which utilizes commercial breeds. To date, there are available production technologies for native swine, hence, offers ready market for those who want to venture.

BAR in the previous years has funded two completed and currently coordinating five on-going projects on native swine production. For this year, the Conservation and Development Specialists Foundation (CDSF), Inc. packaged a project “to demonstrate the viability of native swine enterprise and promote its commercialization” hence, came-up with a package of technologies on native swine production and management.

In line with this, a native swine production module team was created composed of BAR staff Evelyn H. Juanillo and Karla Marie Zapiter; Mr. Victoriano D. Evangelista and Mr. Emilio M. Mejia, Jr. from the BAI-NSPRDC and DA-QAES, respectively. The team visited the three farm sites situated in: 1) Hacienda San Felipe, Barangay Matiway, Naga City; 2) Barangay Bacolod, Juban, Sorsogon City; and 3) Barangay Quidolog, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon City. The team looked into the areas where the pig pens will be constructed likewise some existing pig pens for renovation/rehabilitation for the said project. The group likewise interviewed farmer-beneficiaries as part of the socio-economic profiling of the project area and discussed the technical aspects of the native swine production module. Farmer-beneficiaries will then receive one boar and four sows as a start-up module for native swine production. ### (Ma. Eloisa H. Aquino)

Source: bar.gov.ph