The National Dairy Authority (NDA) will push for the integration of the coconut and dairy industry in Central Visayas to bolster production in both sectors, an official said on Wednesday.

Dennis Madlos, project development officer of NDA-7 (Central Visayas), said that it is NDA’s desire to improve the production of quality milk from dairy cattle that the agency provided to the coconut farmers.

Madlos said the agency is one of the implementers of the Coconut-Dairy Integration Project to be led by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).

Under the program, the agency gave the farmers cows that can produce good quality milk that can be a source of their income, in addition to earnings from their farm surplus.

The project is funded by the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund.

Meanwhile, the NDA-7 continues its Milk Feeding Program (MFP) in various public schools and daycare centers in the region.

Pompeyo Davnar Almagro, milk feeding program coordinator and information officer of NDA-7, said their program will continue in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development as it seeks to solve the problem of malnutrition among the youth.

According to Almagro, apart from dairy farms, the Philippine Carabao Center in Bohol is one of their partners for the supply of milk that will be distributed to children who lack proper nutrition in Kinder to Grade 6.

NDA reported that the dairy sub-sector, which includes carabao/buffalo, dairy cattle and dairy goat, contributed 16.8 percent to the total Philippine agricultural value. (PNA)