How Can PH Swine Industry Be Saved? Look Beyond ASF And You Will See!

Note the crosses behind the exotic pig: Death to the swine industry!?

I am looking at what Jasper Y Arcalas of Business Mirror sees: “PHL Winning Battle Vs Swine Fever But May Lose The War[1]” (20 February 2020). He means we may defeat the ASF, simultaneously bring down with it the swine industry. (Main image above accompanies his article) I will now look at the situation as the Wizard of Os.

This:
Applying my 5 Os, using Mr Arcalas’ eyes, I see:

Mr Arcalas’ Obstacles – ASF spreading, killing thousands of pigs. Swine raisers and pork dealers taking advantage of a bad situation for their own good. Everywhere.

Mr Arcalas’ Opportunities – Save the uninfected; contain the spread of ASF.

Mr Arcalas’ Options – Business as usual if successful; goodbye swine industry if unsuccessful.

Mr Arcalas’ Outputs – Healthy pigs or uninfected saved. Some money collected from government for all pigs depopulated.

Mr Arcalas’ Outcomes – If national campaign against ASF is successful: Swine industry back on its feet, if wobbly. If unsuccessful: PH swine industry decimated!

I agree with Mr Arcallas’ specific Contentions – but not his Conclusion(that last sentence). I explain below.

Now this:
I will now point out what Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie has been thinking, and doing.

Mr Dar’s Obstacles: Inadvertently, Mr Arcalas is looking at the whole livestock industry as only the swine industry. And looking at the whole swine industry as only exotic pig swine industry. The ASF crisis is limiting Mr Arcalas view of the swine industry – he must look at the whole livestock industry, as Manong Willie does.

Mr Dar’s Opportunities: Strengthen the livestock industry by strengthening the swine part of it. Exotic pig breeds susceptible to the ASF? Change to PH native breeds resistant to diseases.

Mr Dar’s Options: To the native pigs being raised, add any combination of any number of other natives: carabaos, cattle, chickens, ducks, and goats. Manong Willie first mentioned raising rabbits as substitute for raising swine. Then he mentioned goats (superimposed image), and my Facebook sharing was this:

Excellent idea, Sir!
Naimas ti kalding!
(Goat has good taste!)

I just love biting into the half-roasted goat’s skin, aside from enjoying the scene of the goat being held by 2 pairs of hands over burning firewood to get rid of the hair as well as cook the skin.

And yes: There is the concept of Inclusive Market-Oriented Development, IMOD, which Manong Willie came up with when he was Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT (2000 to 2014). Ultimately, IMOD requires that farmers are assisted in marketing their produce such as by cooperatives so they will enjoy the fruits of their labor throughout the length of the value chain – no usurers, no merchants included. Thanks ICRISAT for IMOD!

Mr Dar’s Outputs: With IMOD, a vibrant PH livestock industry. Richer raisers, happier consumers of native meats and other farm animal produce even the foreigners love!

Mr Dar’s Outcomes: Prosperous villages.

Tell me who doesn’t want those?!@517

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[1] https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/02/20/phl-winning-battle-vs-swine-fever-but-may-lose-the-war/?fbclid=IwAR3DmasvS0de-zl0WPFbJLKi75-59nzwnZ9WGHAjLW60T0O5Qr6ExDaOKag