Three agencies under the Department of Agriculture (DA) convened to assess the progress, accomplishments, and challenges of the Intensified Community-Based Dairy Enterprise Development (ICBDED) Project during its Year-End Assessment and Performance Review on November 4 to 5, 2025 in General Santos City.
Funded under the United States Public Law 480 (US PL480) Program, the activity brought together the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), which oversees project monitoring and evaluation, along with the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) as the implementing agencies.
“Let’s always remember the heart of the ICBDED Project — to uplift our dairy farmers’ income and improve Filipino families’ nutrition through local milk production. Every new herd, every liter of milk, brings us closer to this goal,” said PCAF Executive Director Bernadette De Los Santos.
During the two-day event, each agency presented their respective accomplishments. NDA reported on the goat and cattle components, PCC covered the carabao development, and PCAF presented the consolidated monitoring and evaluation results.
Participants also reviewed the status of project beneficiaries, discussed ongoing challenges, and identified key risks affecting implementation. A proposed timeline and mitigation strategies were developed to address these concerns moving forward.
In the workshop proper, PCC and NDA identified several technical and operational risks that might significantly affect the success of the program. Among these are semen quality degradation caused by improper handling, logistical delays, and temperature fluctuations.
These risks can be addressed through strict protocols, monitoring devices, and batch quality certification.
Aside from addressing these challenges, PCC emphasized the importance of documenting and showcasing success stories from regional centers to highlight best practices and encourage wider adoption among dairy farmers nationwide.
On the other hand, the NDA reported growth in both animal population and milk production under the Regional Dairy Farmers Livelihood Centers (RDFLCs).
For the goat component, a total of 3,238 animals were distributed, resulting in a 66% increase in herd size or 5,391 additional heads, and a total milk production of 1.65 billion liters.
Meanwhile, the cattle component saw the distribution of 1,785 cows and 14 bulls, leading to a total herd of 3,133 or a 74% increase, with nationwide milk production reaching 5.73 billion liters.
These RDFLCs are strategically located across five areas. These include Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Northern and Southern Mindanao, which ensure support and dairy development throughout the country.
During the assessment, the agencies agreed on several action points to strengthen coordination and ensure smoother implementation in the coming year.
The project implementation period has been extended from its original completion date of December 31, 2023, to December 31, 2026.
In addition to the presentations and workshop, the group conducted a field visit at Unified Dairy Farm, a Gawad Saka winner for Outstanding Dairy Cattle Raiser in Polomolok, South Cotabato, to observe best practices.
| Text by Jezebel Campaniel, photos courtesy of Carmelo Jr. Arce of PDS
