The P3.5 million Provincial Dairy Farmers and Paravet Academy in La Granja, La Carlota City in Negros Occidental is 40 percent completed and is expected to be finished within the second quarter this year, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renate Decena said Friday.

The academy will have a training room facility and a two-storey building that can house 30 to 40 persons to serve as sleeping quarters, Decena said.

He said the construction will provide a site for skills training on livestock production and farming in the province.

The Provincial Veterinary Office will tie up with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to make the academy an accredited training center for livestock skills, Decena also said.

Meanwhile, the province has more than 900 trained paraveterinarians conducting artificial insemination, vaccination, deworming, and other animal health extension services.

Provincial Livestock Coordinator Cathyrine Narez said they train pastors and farmers to become paravets to help PVO in extending its services particularly in towns and municipalities with remote areas.

Paravets of each local government unit do the monitoring, evaluation, and regular check-ups on the animals dispersed to them by the PVO, Narez added.*LTG

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