The Department of Agriculture (DA-VI) has turned over packets of assorted vegetable seeds and fertilizer to Barangay Balabag, Pavia, Iloilo as part of its intervention for the period of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative is part of the “Plant, Plant, Plant Program” which aims to ensure sustainable food production, availability, accessibility, and affordability and to enable the people in urban areas to produce their own food amidst the threat of COVID-19.
It is done in partnership with Allied Botanical Company (ABC).
Balabag Barangay Captain Ariel Gerada and Barangay Kagawad Helen Maquiling received the 250 packets of assorted vegetable seeds and six (6) boxes of slow released fertilizer April 8, 2020 from Paul Lyndon Imbang, ABC Area Manager for Visayas, and Joecent Villaren Sales Manager for Panay-Negros, respectively.
The barangay officials will distribute the agricultural inputs to resident farmers for their communal and urban garden program.
“Most of the residents need to plant vegetables for their consumption. We do encourage backyard gardening so that the urban families would be able to secure food especially during this crisis,” said Mr. Jonifer B. Frades HVCDP focal person.
Moreover, the effort is also a realization of Ahon Lahat Pagkain ay Sapat (ALPAS) and to promote Gulayan sa Bakuran Program and Urban Agriculture Farming as mandated by Agriculture Sec. William Dar.
A follow through distribution of seeds is also being considered for Barangay Pagsanga-an, also in Pavia town
According to DA-VI, there are other vegetable seed companies who are also coordinating with the regional office for a similar outreach partnership program and to support its objectives to promote vegetable farming among farmers and backyard gardening among residents.
Some of Local Government Units have also included vegetable items in their food and relief packs for distribution among stakeholders who are affected by the quarantine.
The regional agency have noted an increase demand for vegetables and fruits when ECQ was enforced. The quarantine period in Iloilo Province has been extended up to April 30, 2020.
Source:
*This is an edited news article. The original text was referenced AGP/InfoACE 6 and it was lifted from the personal Facebook account of Earl James (James Earl Ogatis, Regional Information Officer, Dept. of Agriculture-VI), as posted on his timeline: April 8, 2020, 10:04 P.M.
**Permission for a repost was secured from the comment section of the source.
***Link of the original text here> https://www.facebook.com/earl.james.1232
****Photos are lifted from the same source.