BAR funds new CPAR project on sesame seeds in Bicol
A familiar catchphrase, “open sesame!”, is not just a pure magical incantation. Sesame (Sesamum indicum), particualrly its seeds, is considered a nutritional goldmine. It is rich in minerals and has two proteins that are not normally found in other vegetable proteins. It can even be an alternative source of calcium for those people with allergies to milk.
But there’s another explanation to the incantation “open sesame’ as the phrase is also being used to show the distinguishing characteristic of the sesame seed pod, which bursts open when it reaches maturity.
Sesame is quite popular in other parts of the globe but not in the
Aside from being the oldest seed known to man, sesame is also one of the first condiments and crops processed for oil.
In the
The Bicol Integrated Agricultural Research Center (BIARC) through the leadership of Dr. Elena delos
The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), being committed to enhance the productivity and profitability of smallhold agriculture, acknowledges and supports the endeavor of BIARC to help the farmers by coming up with sustainable and adoptable technologies and strategies to increase their yield and income. Hence, a Communitybased Participatory Action Research (CPAR) project was established titled “CPAR on the Enhancement of Sesame-based Farming System in the 4th District of Camarines Sur”.
The CPAR project is divided into three components which are anchored on the three aspects of community-based agriculture, namely: technology evaluation and utilization, farmers’ skills enhancement, and institution development.
As farmer-cooperators of the CPAR project, they will be provided with highyielding sesame seeds and will be trained on the various interventions and package of technology (POT) on sesame production.
As an output of the project, various products and by-products from sesame will also be developed as part of the value-adding technologies. Trainings will be conducted to enhance the skills and capabilities of the farmers who are involved in the project. The CPAR project will also serve as an active link between the community and the market and credit facilities. (Amavel A. Velasco, DA-BAR)
DA distributes Swine in Region IX
The Swine Restocking Program under the Livestock industry of the Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed boars and gilts in the region. A total of 55 swine were dispersed from the
Swine Restocking Program intends to increase the genetic, productive and reproductive capacity of breeders and provide income generation of the LGU’s through the Artificial Insemination (A.I.) services of their Satellite Swine A.I. and Breeding Centers; provide and increase the market and economic opportunity of small-hold farmer producing fatteners or slaughter animals through access to good genetic materials from the A.I. centers and provide incentive to Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) accredited breeder farms, the DA through its GMA-Livestock Program, implements the restocking program of the existing Swine A.I. and Breeding Centers and other swine breeding stations/stock farms with certified purebred animals.
The beneficiaries of the swine from Zamboanga del Sur are the LGU Swine Satellite A.I. Centers in
In Zamboanga del Norte, a total of 13 swine were received by the recipients from the
On the other hand, Zamboanga Sibugay distributed 12 swine to five municipalities namely Ipil, Alicia, Buug, Payao R.T. Lim and WESMIARC. While in Zamboanga City 12 hogs were given to barangays Ayala, Tumaga, Curuan and Vitali.
The swine being delivered and dispersed in
According to Dr. Victorino Guillermo, DA GMA Livestock Banner Coordinator, they extend technical expertise and assist in swine Artificial Insemination, breeding and fattening and disease management to the LGU beneficiaries as well as conduct constant visitation and monitoring the health and performance of the swine.
The LGU beneficiaries’ counterpart on the implementation of its swine breeding program must meet the maximum requirement for swine artificial breeding centers such as building; artificial insemination (A.I.) equipment and paraphernalia and regularly employed livestock technician designated as A.I. technician trained by International Training for Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) or WESMIARC; light, water, drugs, biologics, vaccines and equipment; and the accreditation by the DA-RFUIX with the capacity to comply other requirements.
Thus, they must also replace and repay the DA-RFUIX with two gilts and two boars of similar age, size and potential from the first farrowing of the gilt which will serve as its source of stocks for distribution to subsequent dispersal programs of the LGU recipient within two years.
Recipients must also take care and extend technical support and logistics (antibiotics, feed, subsidy, etc.) to the pigs which shall be subject to periodic inspection by the DA-RFU IX and respond immediately in case the animal gets sick for examination and treatment. (DAbenes/DA- 9)
