The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) continues to support the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) through the project titled "Capacity Development under Livestock Research and Biotechnology Research and Development of the Carabao Development Plan," jointly undertaken by the two agencies.
As part of the program, SEARCA facilitated the sending of 12 officials and staff of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and three officers of the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative Inc. (Lamac MPC) to the Overseas Comparative Study Mission Toward Inclusive, Sustainable and Competitive Livestock Dairy Development conference in Bangkok in March.
The project aims to enhance the capacity of the PCC to address the requirements of the carabao industry and boost its full potential as a major player in the local livestock industry in Southeast Asia.
On the other hand, the study mission also aimed to: Identify relevant and specific overseas public and private sector program concepts and strategies needed to strengthen the Intensified Rural Enterprise Build-Up framework and its operationalization; forge stronger partnership with international research and development institutions that will enhance generation of major final output relevant to improving productivity through the application of relevant biotechniques, technology transfer and policy reforms; and prepare and submit an action plan to the PCC executive director.
"Participants integrated their learnings from the study mission through a synthesis workshop during the last day of the study mission. They also produced reentry action plans as their mission outputs," SEARCA said in a statement.
Dairy products, including milk, have not been traditionally included in the Thai diet. However, in the early 1960s, the king of Thailand visited Denmark and an agreement between the two countries for dairy farming was forged.
In Thailand, the group from PCC and Lamac MPC visited the Murrah Dairy and Mini Murrah Farm in Chachoengsao Province; 108 Agriculture Machine and Equipment Co. Ltd. in Manao Wan; Nakorn Ratchasima Animal Nutrition and Research and Development Center in Pakchong; Aura Farm in Khon Kaen Province; Sweet Napier Pasture Area in Kalasin Province; Dairy Farming Promotion Organization in Saraburi Province; Chokchai Agritourism Dairy Farm in Nakhon Ratchasima; and Zonta Dairy Village in Ratchaburi Province.
