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Monday, October 17, 2011

WESVARRDEC starts sustainable darag chicken production program

By Isaac Abello

Staff, Regional Applied Communications Group (RACG)

With Reports from NiƱo Manaog and Bede Ozaraga, Capiz State University



Research in the darag native chicken is now official.


Recently, the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), under the auspices of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) launched the Development of Sustainable Production System for the Darag Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Western Visayas, a pioneering project that involves the Research and Development arms of four state colleges and universities in the region—West Visayas State University (WVSU), Central Philippine University (CPU), Aklan State University (ASU), and Capiz State University (CapSU).


In an inception meeting held at the Residence Hotel in Iloilo City in August 2011, Dr. Synan Baguio, supervising science research specialist and Dr. Edwin Villar, livestock research division director, both of PCARRD presented to the SUC representatives the terms and conditions of the funded project and the responsibilities of the collaborating agencies. The PCARRD officials likewise briefed the SUCs on the schedule of monitoring and evaluation and the delivery of outputs from the project.


The program will be a collaborative effort of said four SUCs. WVSU will develop a native chicken breeding and hatchery management system that would ensure stable supply of both breeder and slaughter native chickens of predictable performance and consistent quality in commercial quantities.


CPU will develop and establish a feed production and distribution system for free-range native chickens while ASU will establish a Newcastle Disease vaccine production and distribution systems for the same purpose. For its part, CapSU will produce and distribute a stable supply of ethno-botanical antihelmintics and develop a range area (pasture) enhancement protocol for the darag native chickens.


In the same event, WVSU’s Dr. Evelyn Tomambo, who is also the program leader, presented the new program titled “Development of Sustainable Darag Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) Production System as Climate Change Adaptation Option for the Poultry Industry in Western Visayas.”


Among others, the program will organize information and component technologies generated thru previous research and development into a sustainable enterprise-type native chicken production system. It seeks to usher in productive and profitable utilization of locally available feed, medicinal plants and chicken genetic resources.


According to the program, an organized native chicken production system will help establish sustainable native chicken-based enterprises by rural dwellers and ensure stable supply of good quality native chicken products that meet quality and quantity requirements of institutional buyers and domestic consumers.


Promoted by WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne, the program is supported by ASU President Danilo Abayon, CPU President Teodoro Robles, WVSU President Pablo Subong, Jr., and CapSU President Editha Magallanes as represented by Dr. Geronimo Gregorio, WESVARRDEC’S regional research development group coordinator, and CapSU’s vice-president for research and extension.



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