The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its Livestock Department has delivered an eye opening piggery training for farmers at Doma area in Northwest Guadalcanal Constituency from 6th-8th October 2021.
Involved both theory and practical (demonstration), the training aimed at enhancing pig farmers capacity within the vicinity to guarantee they deepened their knowledge and understanding about animal (pig) appropriate husbandry practices and management for assured profitability.
“This training is an eye opening experience for me,” a female farmer participant Judith Paukeni told MAL Media in an interview.
“It is the first ever training I attended. The training really helpful as it better our understanding on pig farming. I have learned a whole lot of new things especially on pig husbandry practices and management. It’s a boost for all of us who attended and part of the theory and practical sessions,”Ms. Paukeni said.
She thanked MAL through its livestock department for facilitating the training and assured that she would put into practice the knowledge and ideas acquired to improve her piggery farm.
Another farmer participant Dominic Alebua while sharing the same sentiments accolade Livestock Department of MAL for its continuous support towards livestock development in the country in ensuring such boost up training is proved to improve farmer’s capacity for better increase production.
“Pig farming is part of our rural livelihoods and food security. It is our source of income to meet our ends meet. So the training is a big boost for us. It helps us to identity our problems and find ways to improve it,”Mr. Alebua said.
He said reaching out to farmers in the rural areas is critical to ensure officers transfer technical knowledge and skills to our rural pig farmers so that they can be able to manage their own daily farming activities for improved production and assured profitability.
“The training is a bonus for me and I must thank MAL for its unwavering support to impart pig farmers with knowledge to improve their production.”
Farmer’s participants’ team leader Jack Chottu while acknowledging MAL for its continuous support to farmers and agriculture development in the country said agriculture is the only development that touches hearts of rural people and with such training support, farmers can build on their capacity to progress further.
“The training is timely and very important because it help us to identify our problems and find solutions to address it and make sure we progress. Problem is not a thing for us to shame of it or upset over it but it is something we should improve it,”Mr. Chottu stressed.
He said the training was the first of its kind especially on piggery organized for his livestock farmer group.
“At the first place we thought that every one of us can feed pig but from the training, it’s clear that we have no idea on how to properly keep pig. Like we gave food and water to pigs at anyhow, its house not even properly built. We thought pig is a dirty animal but what we learned from the presentations is that pig is a clean animal. So we must look after them well and respect them as human beings too. Also for the first time in my life I learned that pig need salt and sugar, it’s a new thing which all of us do not know. This training is timely and we will utilize the knowledge and skills acquired to improve our pig farms,”Mr. Chottu stated.
He said the training was a starting point for his farmer group as they are looking forward to arrange other trainings in areas like honey and poultry.
“We could arrange other trainings like in honey and poultry but we have to start somewhere. This is a starting point for us. With this training I believe our farmers will improve their pig pens and properly manage their farms for improve productivity for improved profitability,”he said.
He then thanked MAL Livestock officers for enabling the training and ensure it was successfully done.
Meanwhile, Participant Alex Saihana thanked MAL for the training and assured the ministry that he will utilize the knowledge and skills acquired to improve his piggery production.
He said such training is necessary to groom farmers with technical knowledge and skills to prosper in their farming undertakings.
“I am happy for the training and looking forward to be part of future MAL trainings to further my knowledge on pig husbandry and management.”
Meanwhile, Director of Livestock Department Banabas Kega encourages his officers to be agents for change, to provide such services that cause transformation to our rural small-holder farms and households, that’s what we are here and work for. The rural population is the most critical section of the society that must be developed at all costs if any real social and economic progress is to be realized.”
He then thanked his officers for the job well done and for their dedication in providing services for our local farmers.
The training concluded with certificate presentations.
– MAL Press