Philippine Carabao Center opens Dairy Box in Aklan, Capiz towns

To support carabao farmers and provide a stable market for buffalo-based products, the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) at West Visayas State University-Calinog launched the Dairy Box in the municipalities of Kalibo and Numancia in Aklan, and Dumalag in Capiz from July 22 to 24.

Implemented under the Carabao-based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) and the Coconut-Carabao Development (CCD) Projects, the Dairy Box is a one-stop shop similar to the DA’s Kadiwa program, which helps empower farmers by promoting farming as a sustainable livelihood or enterprise, according to Regional Executive Director Dennis Arpia.

He further emphasized that the role of the DA and PCC is not only to generate employment but also to uplift communities by providing interventions that add value to their agricultural products.

Director Arpia encouraged farmers and local entrepreneurs to maximize the Dairy Box as a business hub. “It should be business-centered,” he said. “While you continue to produce and develop new products, you must also build networks to ensure your products reach the market.”

Center Director Dr. Myrtel C. Alcazar thanked the provincial governments and the provincial agricultural offices of Aklan and Capiz for their support in materializing the initiative intended to boost local dairy production and marketing.

The newly launched Dairy Box will be managed by farmer groups assisted by the PCC, including the Nalook Farmers Association of Kalibo, funded under the CCD Project; the Integrated Barangays of Numancia Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and the Agraca Agrarian Reform Cooperative of Dumalag, financed by the CBIN Project.

The CBIN Project has also been implemented in other areas through partnerships with the Hamtic Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Pandan MPC in Antique, the Barotac Nuevo Development Cooperative in Iloilo, and the Guimaras Employees MPC in Jordan, Guimaras. Meanwhile, another Dairy Box under the CCD Project, in partnership with the GMT Consumers Cooperative, is set to open soon in Makato, Aklan. ###Text by Sheila Mae T. Cocjin/DA-RAFIS 6 (with Photos and Data from Janice Cuaresma/DA-PCC@WVSU)