Quezon farmers undergo training on climate change mitigation
PITOGO, Quezon Province — A total of 30 agrarian reform beneficiaries belonging to the Samahan ng Nag-iimpok na Magsasaka of Brgy. Poctol (SNMP) in this town underwent a training on mitigating problems in farming caused by climate change.
The training was part of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) intervention program in response to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that aims to strengthen the resilience of agrarian reform communities (ARCs) to climate change.
DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Cornelio P. Villapando said the training enabled the farmers to understand climate change impacts on their farms and how they can adapt to it.
“We also provided them with farm machines and introduced to them a sustainable vegetable production project to help them continue earning amidst the effects of climate change,” Villapando said.
The farmers were trained on Climate Change Awareness through Adaptation to Agriculture and Hands-on Technology Training on Vegetable Production through Adoption of Organic Farming Technology.
The cooperative was also provided with farm machinery and equipment, a multi-tiller, a grass cutter, two power sprayers, four knapsack sprayers, a water pump irrigation with hose, and nine plastic drums.
Villapando said the farmers were oriented on the proper use and maintenance of the farm machines provided to them.
“We want them to take care of the machines so that they will benefit from it for a long time,” Villapando said.
The training was conducted under the DAR’s Climate Resiliency Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) project.
To celebrate their graduation from the said project, the organization launched a Harvest Festival where the graduates simultaneously harvested their planted vegetables such as eggplant and chili on their demo farm.
"With the help of the DAR, the changing climate or weather is no longer an obstacle for us to grow vegetables and fruits,” said Perlinda Fombuena, one of the 30 beneficiaries of SNMP who completed the Sustainable Vegetable Production Project.
