DEPARTMENT of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA-10) targets to boost northern Mindanao's food sufficiency level amid a health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, said in a press statement Sunday.
DA-10 regional technical director for operations Carlota S. Madriaga said the department has rolled out urban agriculture in the region under the “Plant, Plant, Plant" program or “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa Covid-19" which sought to advance planting and harvesting activities.
Provision of free assorted vegetable seeds is eyed to boost the Department's advocacy on food security, according to Madriaga.
“With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has confronted challenges on food security and sufficiency, and to curb these, we have been pushing to accelerate food production to ensure its sufficient supply through this Agri 4Ps," said Madriaga.
Maribojoc Coconut Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MACOFARCO) president Diomedes Tapulgo received a total of 100 packets of vegetable seeds, composed of radish, lettuce, tomato, carrot, and okra from the department on November 4, 2020.
The said vegetable seeds will be distributed to 70 active members to plant their own food, according to Tapulgo.
“Tungod sa COVID-19, nakatuon ang katawhan sa pagtanom aron adunay makaon," said Tapulgo adding that through DA-10, they were able to avail of free vegetable seeds, giving more importance to food security.
Tapulgo said, aside from vegetable gardening for daily consumption, they will sell the surplus of their harvests to the local market as an additional source of income.
Otherwise known as the “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) laban sa COVID-19, the Agri-4Ps is the flagship program by DA to ensure the country’s food sufficiency, availability, accessibility, and affordability level during the pandemic. (Angie Cabig/DA-10)
