Native pigs in Batanes, tradenamed “Bagu,” are valued for their strong mothering ability, high productivity, and resilience to climate variability. They can thrive using locally available feed resources, making native pig farming an important livelihood and agricultural activity in Ivatan communities.
The growing tourism industry in Batanes has increased the demand for pork products, particularly the Ivatan delicacy ‘lunyis.’ This creates strong potential for expanding native pig production into a larger enterprise. However, continuous production requires improved husbandry practices and proper nutrition.
Currently, many Ivatan farmers raise native pigs through traditional methods, including tethering pigs under trees without proper housing and feeding them cooked rootcrops such as yam, taro, ube, and sweetpotato. Fresh plant materials and gathered forages like ipil-ipil are also commonly used. While these indigenous feed resources are accessible, they may not fully meet the nutritional requirements needed for optimal pig growth and reproduction.
Since Batanes relies heavily on imported commercial feeds, developing locally sourced feed formulations is considered essential for a sustainable native pig production. In response, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), through its Livestock Research Division, has supported a research initiative, “Developing Feed Formulations for ‘Bagu Ivatan’ using Locally Available Feeds and Forages in Batanes,” led by the Batanes State College (BSC) in partnership with the Local Government of Mahatao to improve and sustain Bagu native pig production.
The project already initiated developing cost-effective and nutrient-rich local feeds using available island resources. Through research and development, the agriculture department of BSC hopes to enhance production performance, increase farmers’ income, strengthen food security, and promote native pig farming as a sustainable livelihood in the province of Batanes.