Schools in Catanduanes adopt DAR’s urban vegetable farming program
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the province of Catanduanes, in partnership with Catanduanes National High School (CNHS), San Andres Vocational School and Magnesia National High School recently launched the “Buhay sa Gulay” project to intensify the institutions’ existing urban farming program.
The “Buhay sa Gulay” project is an initiative of DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones to have an urban vegetable farming project which is a self-help start-up livelihood project where concerned government agencies and organizations converge, share resources, and offer an opportunity to enable the urban farmers to produce various vegetables, that could also serve as an additional source of income.
CNHS Principal Amelia Eusebio said they decided to link arms with the DAR to further strengthen their existing “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program because they believe that the department gives their all-out support in promoting urban vegetable farming nationwide to help contribute to the country’s food security.
“The participating school officials and the Parent-Teachers Associations understand our resources’ limitations and to ensure the program’s success, we tap the DAR’s support to achieve our goals,” Eusebio said.
The schools have allotted more or less 2,500 square meters for vegetable productions, where teachers and parents agreed to alternately manage the activities.
DAR-Catanduanes OIC-Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Nerisa Aldea said she is pleased that these institutions recognize the importance of urban gardening in the community and acknowledged DAR’s role in this noble advocacy.
“We would provide them with various farm inputs, tools, guidance, and a sure market for their farm yields,” Aldea said.
Aldea added that they created a group chat with all the involved participants so that they could be updated on their activities and monitor their projects, as well as raise their concerns and setbacks they would encounter to facilitate the immediate assistance they would need.
“Apart from the assistance that we would provide them, we also look for establishments where they could supply their produce. The Bureau of Jail and Management Penology, National Nutrition Council, and nearby local trade centers, are expected to be their market,” she divulged.
The Buhay sa Gulay program was launched in November last year, in St. John Don Bosco Parish, Tondo Manila, to contribute in securing the country’s food supply amidst the ill effect of the pandemic. In partnership with the DAR, various parishes, local government units and other groups and organizations followed suit, upon seeing the success and impact it had in the community.