RED is a development package that introduces integrated goat management practices to transform traditional goat raising practices into profitable enterprises. These practices are technologies on housing; stallfeeding; upgrading of breeds; pasture development; supplementation of concentrates, vitamins, and minerals; strategic deworming; and preparation of urea treated rice straw and urea molasses mineral block.
In improving the goats’ genetic material, exotic breeds (Anglo-nubian or Boer) were introduced to the communities. Farmers either purchased their own buck or availed of the buck-for-hire or the buck rotation schemes.
Because of this, improved reproductive performance of the goats and breeds was observed. Moreover, goat mortality decreased.
With improved breeds, demand soared. Goat raisers found the need to organize themselves into associations and cooperatives to cope with this new demand. Eventually, the RED Program was institutionalized in all the participating regions.
Allied enterprises were also introduced. Other business opportunities arose from the core enterprise of slaughter goat production such as the propagation and sale of grasses and shrubs, among other ventures.
In the end, these brisk businesses won the interests of other farmers to go into goat raising. Reports show that in three years, goat raisers increased to 308 in the participating regions.
It did not take long before local governments and the private sector took notice of the project in the pilot sites. Financial support started pouring in for the expansion of the program in nearby barangays.
PCARRD took notice of the encouraging results of the program vis-à-vis the gradual attainment of the Industry Strategic Plans for Goat even midway through its implementation. This prompted the Council to support another phase. The upscaled version of RED focuses on the overseas Filipino workers and their families, and other individuals in interested in goat farming. (Edwin C. Villar and Butch S. Pagcaliwagan, with reports from Anna Marie P. Alo, S&T Media Service)
