SAN JUAN, Batangas - The livestock industry is a major source of income for rural households in our country. However, health-related concerns along with climate change effects and growing population face the sector, which also poses threats to our food security.

As such, there is a need to ensure delivery of animal health care programs to secure food security at the community level. This prompted the Agricultural Training Institute Region IV-A to collaborate with the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian in Batangas to conduct the “Training on Animal Health Care and Management” for Barangay Animal Health Workers (BAHWs).

BAHWs are volunteer workers for the government that enhance the delivery of basic services in their respective areas.

Two batches of the said training were conducted in San Juan and Calaca, Batangas on July 17 - 19, 2019 and July 31 - August 2, 2019, respectively. Participants were taught basic veterinary practices including, animal production, animal husbandry practices, proper acare and management of animals, disease detection/surveillance, first aid treatments, deworming/defluking and vitamin supplementation.

Allan Jose Lorzano, a BAHW from this municipality said he will share his learnings from the training to his community members. “Maiwasan ang pagkalat ng mga sakit ng ating alagang hayop at makatutulong sa masagana at maunlad na kabuhayan,” he added.

With reports from Marian Lovella A. Parot