ILOILO – In response to the adverse effects of the El Niño phenomenon, the provincial government has initiated a program to support local farmers by offering an alternative livelihood option.
This initiative involves the distribution of two piglets to each eligible farmer across several municipalities.
So far, 852 qualified farmers have received piglets in the municipalities of Tubungan, Leon, Tigbauan, Igbaras, Cabatuan, and Miag-ao.
Managed by the Provincial Agriculture Office, the program aims to provide relief to farmers who have been severely impacted by the drought and are struggling with the cultivation of rice and high-value crops.
Funded by a P12.78-million allocation from the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) trust fund, this effort is part of a broader strategy to diversify income sources for farmers during challenging times.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized the importance of the program in boosting the agricultural sector, which has been heavily reliant on water-intensive crops.
“We are pivoting to livestock until we can, to assist our farmers and supplement our agricultural output without depending on heavy water usage, unlike rice,” he said.
This program also serves as a strategic move to increase the province’s swine inventory, which has significantly declined due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
The swine population in Iloilo plummeted from 277,421 in September 2022 to 83,465 by late April 2024.
Despite a recent 15.41 percent increase in swine numbers, the sufficiency level remains critically low at 35 percent.
Defensor clarified that this piglet dispersal program is separate from the sentinel program managed by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), which focuses on areas transitioning from high to moderate ASF risk zones.
The sentinel program involves a larger budget of P13.67 million and is designed to benefit 1,139 farmers across municipalities recently reclassified from red to pink zones in terms of ASF risk.
The funds will be allocated as follows: San Miguel (P624,000), Barotac Viejo (P348,000), New Lucena (P264,000), Santa Barbara (P864,000), Mina (P84,000), Dingle (P444,000), Concepcion (P48,000), Batad (P300,000), Banate (P3,684,000), Oton (P 456,000), Janiuay (P960,000), Leganes (P432,000), Zarraga (P600,000), Lambunao (P960,000), and Dumangas (P600,000).
A total of 1,139 farmers from these towns will benefit from the program: San Miguel (52), Barotac Viejo (29), New Lucena (22), Santa Barbara (72), Mina (7), Dingle (37), Concepcion (4), Batad (25), Banate (307), Oton (288), Janiuay (80), Leganes (36), Zarraga (50), Lambunao (80), and Dumangas (50).
The farmers benefiting from the dispersal program are allowed to purchase two piglets at a subsidized rate of P6,000 per piglet, offering them a viable economic alternative amidst ongoing agricultural challenges./PN
