Seeing the high potential of IFED or the Innovative Family Enterprise Development (IFED) program as a vital strategy to increase food production in this challenging time due to Covid-19 pandemic, Department of Agriculture in Ilocos Region Director Lucrecio R. Alviar, Jr. has increased the fund allocation for its IFED program making its P34.5 million fund to Php106.438 million with the inclusion of P94.984 million worth of project for livestock and poultry productions.

In a series of consultations initiated by Dir. Alviar with the Livestock Banner Program and the Research and Development (R&D) Division, additional P31.5 million IFED fund on cattle and P2 million for duck production were allocated.The total fund allocated for goat has also increased from its previous P10.06 million allocation to P37.92 million budget and the chicken from P2 million to P7.61 million.

Based on the project proposal of the R&D Division and the Livestock Banner Program, a total of 23,469 heads of various livestock and poultry animals shall be purchased for distribution to the farmer-cooperators in the four provinces of the region.

A total of 741 heads of cattle will be purchased by the DA for distribution to the selected farmer-cooperators in Ilocos Norte (249 heads), Ilocos Sur (224 heads), La Union (138 heads) and Pangasinan (130 heads).

On goat, a total of 2,528 heads will be purchased with Ilocos Sur having the highest number of allocated stocks followed by Pangasinan with 675 heads and Ilocos Norte and La Union with 378 and 375 heads, respectively.

For the chicken and duck stocks, DA will likewise purchase a total of 15,700 heads for distribution to the farmer-beneficiaries with chicken having purchase a total of 15,200 and ducks 5,000 heads. On chicken, the province of Pangasinan will get 3,950 stocks; 8,100 for Ilocos Sur, 1,950 and 1,200 headsfor the provinces of Illocos Norte and La Union, respectively.

To improve duck meat and duck egg production in the region, a total of 800 stocks will be given each for La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte while 2,600 stocks for the province of Pangasisnan.

Of the total 23,469 heads of livestock and poultry stocks to be purchased by the DA valued at P79.420 million, the province of Ilocos Sur shares the biggest chunk of the budget with P27.18 million followed by the province of Ilocos Norte with P17.01 million, and the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union with P16.86 million and P12.37 million, respectively.

Meanwhile to make the IFED project a total package of technology, RED Alviar also made a consultation with local manufacturer of agri machineries and equipment for possible target sites in the region for mechanization which can become a component of the IFED.

“We can help provide feeds for the IFED livestock and poultry projects using such practical machines like mechanized silage maker, tractor-mounted multi-purpose chopper and other machines used in crops and livestock production which will certainly help in the sustainability of our project.”, Alviar said.

For queries on the IFED project, you may get in touch with the following focal persons:

Ms. Cathy B. Pastor (IFED on egg and chicken production) – 0998-306-2472
Mr. Juanito Malazo, Jr. (IFED on goat and cattle productions) – 0956-819-2056