Ms. Altea Romero, Instructor I of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), participated in the International Cage-Free Innovation and Welfare Hub in the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from July 9-15, 2023.
Thirty-one participants from 19 State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (SUC-ACAP) member universities were part of the delegation, with Ms. Romero representing Aklan State University.
The program was created in partnership with Global Food Partners, in consortium with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the UGM’s Faculty of Animal Science.
The training provided participants with theoretical and practical workshops to give them hands-on experience.
“It was a great and extraordinary experience to be part of the training on Cage-free Innovation and Welfare Hub. From theory to practical sessions, it gives us a better understanding of chicken welfare, behavior, stockpersonship, housing and biosecurity, feed and nutrition, genetics, poultry diseases, and egg farm as a business,” Ms. Romero said in an interview.
The week-long training was designed to train participants about the best methods for producing cage-free eggs, ensure their safety and nutritional value, and promote ecologically friendly agricultural practices.
By Jonell S. Gregorio | Information Officer, ASU-Banga
and John Mark R. Francisco | CAFES