Benguet farmer cooperators and partners under the project funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) make their vegetable produce available for Benguet and Metro Manila communities.
The said project is titled, “Disaster Risk Reduction of Climate Change Impacts in Vegetable Terrace Farms in Benguet,” which is lodged under the Science and Technology (S&T) Action Frontline for Emergencies and Hazards (SAFE) Program. SAFE Program is a technology transfer modality of DOST-PCAARRD.
In Kibungan, Benguet, Mrs. Marina Bugtong and members of the Madaymen Good Agriculture Practitioners Association (MGAPA), in coordination with Barangay Captain Homer Teliaken, were able to pack and donate vegetables such as carrot, potato and cabbage to affected families in their community. Barangay Captain Teliaken and Mrs. Bugtong were among the SAFE-Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) champions who were trained by the project to respond in times of emergencies and hazards.
Another project partner in Tublay Benguet, the Tublay Agriculture Based League of Entrepreneurs (TABLE), were also able to market around two tons of highland vegetable in Manila through the initiative of Hon. Mayor Armando Lauro and Municipal Agriculturist Jeffrey Sotero.
Additional 650 kilos of assorted vegetables were also donated by TABLE during the relief operations of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PSBP) in Intramuros, Manila. The transport of the vegetables was made possible through the efforts of the local government unit (LGU), Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR), and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
With the threat of COVID-19 and implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, the SAFE-DRR champions assured that quality vegetable will always be made available from their project for the next two to three months. This will coincide with the first cropping harvest of the farmer partners.
The SAFE project is under the Cordillera Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources, Research and Development (CorCAARRD) led program titled, “Disaster Risk Reduction of Climate Change Impacts on Vulnerable Agricultural Farms in Cordillera Administrative Region.”
The program aims to capacitate farmers, barangay and municipal officials on disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation and mitigation through science and technology interventions at the farm and community levels in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). The program is composed of six projects in the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Benguet and implemented by the six state colleges and universities in CAR (Diana Rose P. Cabello, Laudemar L. Luis, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).
DESCRIPTION:
Benguet farmer cooperators and partners under the project funded by DOST-PCAARRD make their vegetable produce available for Benguet and Metro Manila communities.
###
MMSU, PCAARRD roll out relief operations in Ilocos Norte
The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) began to coordinate with concerned local government units (LGUs) to conduct relief operations in Ilocos Norte. The activity is in partnership with the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
The distribution of milled rice and packs of vegetable seeds started on April 23, 2020. Ten municipalities in Ilocos Norte including the City of Batac, Paoay, Sarrat, Marcos, Piddig, Burgos, Pasuquin, Vintar, Banna and Solsona were the municipalities that received almost three tons of milled rice and 3,000 packs of assorted vegetable seeds. A total of 1,000 families benefited from the relief operations.
Aside from coordinating with LGUs, MMSU, through the funding of PCAARRD, purchased milled rice from farmer cooperators. This will assist them by providing income and at the same time provide food to the indigent families in COVID-19 affected areas in Ilocos Norte.
The initiative is through the project titled, Science-based Emergency Assistance in Response to COVID 19 Crisis in Ilocos Norte” under the leadership of Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao of MMSU with funding from DOST-PCAARRD. This collaboration will conclude on June 5, 2020.
The said initiative will help partner LGUs with Zanjera organizations and other rice growers in selected municipalities of Ilocos Norte and at the same time provide food to the affected indigent families.
DOST-PCAARRD is one of the sectoral councils of the DOST, which is mandated to formulate policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors the national R&D efforts in the AANR sector. It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program. (Yolanda M. Tanyag, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).
###
Taal Lake tilapia and milkfish to provide for Metro Manila and Region IV-A needs
Fish farm growers-cooperators of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) reported their daily harvest of 50-60 tons of tilapia and milkfish that can support the freshwater fish needs of Metro Manila and CALABARZON.
According to Mario G. Balazon, Board Secretary of the Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance, Inc. (TLAAI), the supply of tilapia from Taal Lake continues to be abundant, as tilapia fingerlings were recently restocked.
“Our tilapia and milkfish harvest can be our significant contribution to food security of Metro Manila and CALABARZON or Region IV-A,” Balazon said.
This development was seen following the resumption of fish farm operations more than three months after the Taal volcano eruption in January 2020.
TLAAI members and Talisay, Batangas residents were among the beneficiaries of DOST-PCAARRD’s support during the Taal Volcano eruption.
PCAARRD is one of the sectoral councils of the DOST, which is mandated to formulate policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors the national R&D efforts in the AANR sector. It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program (Eduardo V. Manalili, Rose Anne M. Aya, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).
FertiGroe® nanofertilizers for corn show promising result in Isabela