To boost the local swine industry, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 5 (DA RFO 5), through its Livestock and Poultry Program, recently turned over two climate-controlled biosecure swine facilities under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program. The beneficiaries are the Bikolanas Agriculture Cooperative, located in San Roque Communal, Ocampo and Buhi Diversified Farmers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (BDFARBCO), located in Zone 3, Barangay Dela Fe, Buhi.

These two projects were made possible through the fund transfer from Region 2 under the Community-Based Swine Production through Clustering and Consolidation, which provided a total of ₱126.5 million for 23 FCAs across Camarines Sur.

These state-of-the-art facilities are designed to support the sustainable and biosecure production of swine, as the infrastructure includes climate-controlled housing, biosecurity systems, and other modern features that align with the DA’s efforts to rebuild the swine sector following the devastating effects of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the past years.

The INSPIRE Program, one of the flagship initiatives under the DA’s Livestock and Poultry Program, aims to accelerate the recovery of the hog industry through clustering and consolidation of local producers, establishment of biosecure facilities, and capacity-building programs. It empowers Farmers Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) by equipping them with infrastructure, inputs, and technical assistance to help them scale up their production sustainably and competitively.

Present during the ceremonies were Maria Daisy Geolin, Chairperson of Bikolanas Agriculture Cooperative, and other coop officials and members; Gail Antioquia, Assistant Livestock and Poultry Program Coordinator; and Engr. Ivan Esplana representing Engr. Jerry A. Eboñ, Chief of the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED).

Also present during the turnover at Ocampo, Camarines Sur were Engr. Teodoro Eleda, OIC Chief of the Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division representing Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla and Noraida Panerio Admin Manager of the Camarines Sur Multi-Purpose Cooperative which served as the big brother of the Bikolanas Agriculture Cooperative.

The turnover marked not just the completion of infrastructure but also the beginning of a renewed commitment to resilient and biosecure swine production in Camarines Sur. (By Vincent Emil A. Pasumbal – DA RAFIS 5)

(Photo credit: DA RAED 5)