Leyte village gets alternative livelihood project

BAYBAY CITY, Leyte, March 7 (PNA) -- The Leyte provincial government turned over on Tuesday a hog fattening project to a group of farmers and fishermen in a poverty-stricken village in this city. 

The project was one of the identified livelihood support initiatives for the Barangay (village) Hipusngo Farmers and Fisherfolks Association (BAHFFA).

BAHIFFA President Everlito Laig said the project will help them in improving their economic conditions.

Before receiving the 80 hogs from the provincial government, association members joined the compact farming training under the More Income in the Countryside program (MIC-P) of the provincial government.

The more than 40 members completed four months of rigid training on compact farming, including classes on high-value crops and organic farming.

“We will not forget this day because today we were given a chance by our government to improve our lives,” Laig said.

The training on compact farming is a requirement for associations seeking help from the provincial government, said Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.

“We want to implement this program as competitive as possible, meaning there is volume, the quality is good and with an acceptable cost for the market,” Petilla said.

BAHFFA is the 54th organization in Leyte province that benefited from the hog fattening project.

The Leyte provincial government targets to implement the MIC-P in all villages in Leyte province, but Petilla said they have to focus on areas with high poverty incidence.

As of today, the project has already benefited 113 out of the 1,393 villages in Leyte. 

MIC-P will not only focus on vegetable and fruit production and hot fattening, but egg laying, livestock production and fishery as well.

“There should be economic resiliency, that is why we provided them not only with a single commodity to produce,” Petilla added.(PNA)
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