Seeking to revolutionize the economic landscape for Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs), the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) will forge a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to establish dedicated stock farms within ancestral domains.
The groundbreaking agreement, unanimously approved by the 9th Commission of the NCIP on Jan. 9, outlines plans for stock farms dedicated to dairy cattle production and breeding, featuring a state-of-the-art processing facility.
In a statement, NDA Administrator Dr. Gabriel L. Lagamayo said the Dairy Development Project will benefit the ICCs/IPs as it will hire them as part of the workforce in the farm operations.
"Our goal of 5% milk sufficiency by the year 2028 requires a large volume of milk production. There is room for everyone, including our ICCs/IPs,” he stated.
According to Lagamayo, the NDA will train the IPs in dairy farm management.
“They will supply animal feeds like corn silage and forage. We can provide them livelihood opportunities while furthering our goal of achieving a five percent increase in milk sufficient through operational expansion,” he added.
The NDA said its comprehensive training program will cover various agricultural techniques, including dairy production, animal health and management, artificial insemination, milk processing, financial literacy, and business development.
As such, the MOA includes a dispersal program, with ten percent of annual animal production allocated to ICCs/IPs starting from the second year of operation.
Lagamayo assured adherence to NCIP standards, respecting sacred ancestral lands, environmental norms, and traditional protocols cherished by the ICCs/IPs.
NCIP Chairperson Bo-i Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las expressed her support for the dairy project, emphasizing the economic advancement and nutritional benefits for IPs' children.
“The Dairy Development Project poses economic advancement and the harvested milk can give nourishment to the IPs' children,” she said.
The NDA has noted that the project will undergo rigorous validation processes to uphold the best interest of ICCs/IPs.
“It will ensure its alignment with the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) of Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs). This underscores the project's commitment to sustainable agricultural practices within these domains,” it stated.