DA-AMAS showcases Leon Livestock Oksyon Market’s digitalized system in technical training

The Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS) showcased the best practices of the Leon Livestock Oksyon Market (LOM) during the Training on Improvement of the Operations and Management of Livestock Oksyon Markets, held from November 26 to 29, 2024, in Iloilo City. The event aimed to equip farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), local government units (LGUs), and other stakeholders with practical strategies to enhance livestock auction market operations and management.

The Leon LOM was selected as a model site for its digitalized transaction system, offering participants a live demonstration of its innovative technologies. This facility, rehabilitated through the support of the Japan 2KR Project and co-funded by the LGU of Leon, is Western Visayas’ first modernized livestock trading hub.

Among the key advancements at the Leon LOM are digital weighing scales for accurate livestock measurement, automated data recording systems for seamless transactions, and surveillance cameras to strengthen security measures. These upgrades have significantly improved transparency, efficiency, and fairness in livestock trading, fostering greater confidence among traders and establishing a sustainable trading ecosystem.

The training also addressed several other crucial topics, such as the operational status of other livestock auction markets—including those in Uson, Lemery, Canlaon City, and the Isabela Agri-Pinoy Trading Center; guidelines for establishing, operating, and accrediting livestock auction markets under the Animal Welfare Act, the integration of animal welfare and health practices into livestock management, the Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) Certification Program, and market-oriented livestock operations and agribusiness development to promote industry sustainability.

The benchmarking visit to the Leon LOM is part of DA-AMAS’s broader efforts to enhance the operational capabilities of stakeholders managing agricultural trading hubs. By replicating successful models like Leon LOM, these technical training sessions aim to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and ensure the sustainability of livestock auction markets across the country.###(DA-RAFIS 6)