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Vegetable Program
The recent Survey Review of the Social Weather Station (SWS) revealed that the Philippines is of a record-high level of hunger, amidst the promise of an emerging growth in the economy. A deep concern over this high incidence of hunger and poverty, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) implemented a program that would increase farm productivity, create jobs and livelihood opportunities, and pull down the cost of essential goods for the benefit of the poor Filipino consumers. DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap, in his latest proclamation, pointed out that ‘the nascent rebound of the economy will remain as cold statistics to ordinary Filipinos unless this turnaround can put a dent on the high incidence of hunger and poverty.’ Gulayan Para sa Masa
project
The Gulayan Para sa Masa is a national program that addresses hunger and malnutrition in selected areas of the country. It is a vegetable backyard raising program aimed to provide opportunities to unemployed Filipinos particularly those from the poorest provinces of the country. It is hoped to benefit 216,300 rural families over the next five years of its implementation. Implementing this program is BPI together with other DA agencies such as the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Department's Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs) in coordination with the Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Technical assistance is given by the DA agencies co-implementing the program. The priority beneficiaries of this program are the 1,163 barangays that are considered as very very vulnerable (VVV) barangays as identified by the Department of Health-National Nutrition Council (DOH-NNC). The first three priority areas for the implementation of this program are Masbate, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi, which are also the top 3 in the 10 poorest provinces of the Philippines (NSCB, 2000). According to BPI Director Lealyn Ramos, this program does not only provide livelihood opportunities and access to affordable vegetables but through this, communal gardens are being established for those without lots to till which then serve as seed and planting materials nursery in the areas. After covering the VVV areas of the country, the program moves to include 1,000 other very vulnerable (VV) barangays particularly those in Apayao, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, Bukidnon, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur. Success story: The Masbate
experience Each participating household started with a 100-square
meter backyard garden wherein seeds and
Aside from the backyard garden, a 1,000 square-meter communal garden was established for each municipality to serve as source of seeds and planting materials. One of the main reasons for the success of this program in Masbate is the active involvement of the LGU as their efforts are crucial in the successful implementation of the project and the participation of households in their area. The people of Dimasalang, one of the covered sites for the program, saw the Gulayan Para sa Masa as a challenge to improve their lifestyle and not only as a livelihood opportunity. Dimasalang Mayor Henry J. Naga expressed his immediate interest in this DA-initiated program and wished to replicate it in all the barangays of their municipality. According to Mayor Naga, this program is only an initial step to realize the goal of making Dimasalang as one of the progressive municipalities not only in Masbate but in the country. Better opportunities for
farmers
Secretary Yap emphasized that programs of the government
can only be felt by ordinary Filipinos if the incidence of poverty is
reduced through more jobs and livelihood opportunities and easy access to
more affordable food. And DA is keen on its focus in enforcing
initiatives to face poverty and mitigate hunger, one of which is through
this Gulayan Para sa Masa program of DA which will continue to
give opportunities and hope to poor Filipinos particularly those in the
countryside.
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Poverty
and hunger are two of the most common global issues we face today,
particularly in a developing country.
The
Gulayan Para sa Masa is only one of the four main anti-poverty
initiatives of the DA along with other national programs such the
Manukan Para sa Masa, Isdaan Para sa Masa, and the Barangay Food
Terminal. These programs are anchored on promoting integrated food
production through backyard gardening in the country's most vulnerable
rural communities and provision of training with starter seeds, planting
materials, chicken, swine, small livestock and fish.
The
Manukan Para sa Masa is an initiative to afford families
additional income and source of food and protein (eggs and chicken meat).
Meanwhile, the Isdaan Para sa Masa provides catfish as source of
food and income while the Barangay Food Terminals are outlets for
nutritious, safe, and affordable food commodities benefiting rural
families. These programs are meant to benefit an initial 400,000 rural
and urban families.
The Gulayan Para sa Masa was first launched in Masbate in July
2006. The program initially covered six nutritionally-depressed
municipalities of Masbate, which included Pio V. Corpuz, Placer,
Dimasalang, Mandaon, Balud and Esperanza wherein about 52 barangays and
5,200 families were able to benefit from this program.
planting
materials were given for free by the DA. Also distributed were garden
tools, sprayers, fingerlings and information materials to the
beneficiaries. Aside from these inputs, technical assistance from the
local government DA was also provided.
So
far, according to DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap in one of his recent
proclamations, 9,878 families were able to harvest vegetables from their
own backyards, indicating a 48% accomplishment rate. This Gulayan project
is eyeing 207,403 beneficiary-households in 2007.
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