Mulanay farmers: One of the major frontliners in food security

BEFORE this generation’s biggest pandemic, the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) were unnoticed – the usual and never-ending cycle of land preparation, planting, daily care, harvesting and marketing of agricultural products.

But with the surge of an unexpected threat, COVID-19, the spotlight turned its focus on these farmers.

ARBs like Raymart Maralit, Mildred Zulueta, Marivic Rey and Mac Portillano of Barangay Ilayang Yuni from the town of Mulanay, Quezon II continued their routine amidst the ongoing health and economic crisis.

A week after the announcement of the expanded community quarantine (ECQ), there was a sudden rise in demand of agricultural products. Prices of vegetables have significantly increased in many areas in the province. For most farmers, this has provided an opportunity to earn way more than usual.

And yet, in the spirit of ‘bayanihan,’ these ARBs decided not to increase their farm gate prices, as their way of helping their community cope with the gloomy situation brought about by COVID-19.

“We are fortunate to have experiences and new technologies learned from the Farm Business School (FBS) project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). We are using our learnings from the government by contributing to the food security and helping our fellow Filipinos,” said the farmers from Barangay Ilayang Yuni, part of PAKILYU Agrarian Reform Community in this town.

They said their learnings serve as proof that vegetable production using small parcels of agricultural land can provide for their daily necessities as well as provide food for many others in the locality. The FBS project was rolled out in this town in 2019 by the DAR Quezon II Provincial Office, in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Mulanay.

Earlier this year, ARB Raymond Maralit made use of one 1,000-square meter portion of his land to plant pole sitao (sitaw). Another 1,500 square meters area has been planted with squash (kalabasa). For their part, Mac Portillano utilized a 500-square meter portion of his lot for pole sitao and tomatoes (kamatis); while Mildred Zulueta made use of their 500-square meter land for tomatoes, another 500 square meters for eggplant (talong), and one 5,000 square meters for watermelon (pakwan).

“We embraced vegetable production and have since derived income out of planting pole sitao, squash, tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons and peanuts. These valuable crops keep us busy, productive and very relevant, especially during this period of crisis,” Maralit said.

Still, while taking part of the government’s approach toward ensuring food sufficiency for its citizens, these ARBs find hope in what they do and are reaping rewards particularly in the financial aspect of their noble contribution.

Renato P. Rey, Agricultural Technician at the Municipal Agriculturist Office-Mulanay, and Chair of the ARBO Ilayang Yuni Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IYMPC), said harvesting periods for sitaw, talong, and kamatis have started on the second week of March, just right before the ECQ was announced.

“There was no perfect time than now for these farmer producers as we are still within the harvest season. A farmer who has fully utilized an area as small as 500 square meters is expected to attain some 3.5 metric tons of eggplant, tomato, and some 2.8 metric tons of pole sitao,” Rey said.

Prevailing farm gate prices per kilogram of these fresh commodities are as follows: 30 pesos for sitao and tomato, and 20 pesos for eggplant. Here in Ilayang Yuni, farmers yield an average of 40 kilograms per week of sitao, 320 kilograms of eggplant, and 50 kilograms tomato.

Marketing has not been a problem, either, as the LGU was able to implement proactive measures to ensure food security for its citizens.

The DAR, closely coordinating with the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, is at the forefront of ensuring agricultural activities of ARBs and their organizations.

“At the onset of the ECQ, we always ensure that fresh farm produce is made available in the markets first, for our own constituents to consume, considering the difficulty in movement brought about by the ECQ,” explained Rey.

Truly, if there is one silver lining out of this current global predicament, it is the contribution of these often-neglected “frontliners’— the farmers, this time in the realm of food security and sufficiency. (By MARPO Leonila T. Conrado and Joseph O. Cacanindin) (PIO Quezon II)

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