The Department of Agriculture in Bicol (DA-5), through its Organic Agriculture (OA) program, distributed carabaos to 50 farmers in San Jose, Camarines Sur, on Wednesday under the first Organic Beef Carabao Dispersal Program worth PHP3.2 million.
DA-5 spokesperson Lovella Guarin said the initiative supports the agency’s push for organic agriculture, which promotes food safety, farmer welfare, and soil rejuvenation for sustainable productivity.
“The program encourages the raising of livestock organically in line with the Philippine National Standards. It also adopts a pay-forward scheme where the first offspring will be passed on to another qualified beneficiary,” Guarin said.
The program, launched in 2024, currently covers San Jose but will expand to other local government units next year. Beneficiaries came from 21 farmer cooperatives and associations.
To qualify for future inclusion, LGUs must have an ordinance promoting organic agriculture, an active OA program for at least a year, and a dedicated budget.
The municipal agriculture office will oversee the program’s implementation to ensure its smooth and sustainable execution.