THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is batting for an executive order (EO) to ensure continuity of its African Swine Fever (ASF) hog repopulation effort.

“Bantay ASF sa Barangay” (barangay ASF watch), the department’s flagship hog repopulation program, is the main initiative the DA is seeking to make more permanent. Its partners in hog repopulation are local government units, hog raisers, and the private sector.

Currently, 42 provinces have agreed to implement the program, which involves the adoption of strict biosecurity measures.

As of Feb. 17, ASF cases were present in only 20 barangays in four municipalities in three provinces.

The DA’s integrated national swine production project allocated P400 million to provide 14,571 sentinel pigs to 5,638 farmer-beneficiaries in 2021.

Sentinel pigs are the initial contingent of pigs sent to repopulate ASF-affected areas. If they fall sick, further repopulation is suspended.

For 2022, the DA has set a P2.97-billion budget for hog repopulation.

Biosecure facilities worth P5.5 million are also being constructed for hog raisers, which include fences, climate-controlled animal barns, waste management facilities, basic farm equipment, feed and biologics support, and piglets.

A DA credit program for the swine industry in partnership with Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has P30 billion in funding. The other large government bank, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), has P12 billion available to lend.

As of June 2021, LANDBANK said it approved P295.8 million worth of loans to hog raisers, while DBP approved P300 million. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

SOURCE: https://www.bworldonline.com/