The Commission of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to establish stock farms within the ancestral domains.
The stock farms will be dedicated to the production and breeding of dairy cattle and will include a processing facility. Indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) will be organized into dairy cooperatives to qualify as recipients of dairy animals.
“Our goal of 5-percent milk sufficiency by the year 2028 requires a large volume of milk production. This program allows and welcomes participation. There is room for everyone, including our ICCs/IPs,” said NDA administrator Gabriel Lagamayo.
Lagamayo said the dairy development project would hire IPs as part of the workforce in the farm operations.
“NDA will train them in dairy farm management. They will supply animal feeds like corn silage and forage. We can provide them livelihood opportunities while furthering our goal of achieving a 5 percent increase in milk sufficiency through operational expansion,” he said.
NDA will also conduct orientations and continuous training covering various agricultural techniques such as dairy production, animal health and management, artificial Insemination, milk processing, financial literacy, business development and food safety.
Lagamayo said participants would receive certificates upon completion.