In pursuit of providing production support services to farmers, the Office of the Municipal Agriculture (OMAG) of Bontoc, Mountain Province, continually distributes vegetable seeds to the community as one of the activities of the government’s High-Value Development Crops Program (HVCDP).
The HVCDP is an institutionalized Department of Agriculture (DA) program through Republic Act 7900, known as the High Value Crops Development Act of 1995. The act aimed to address food security, poverty, and sustainable growth by promoting the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of high-value crops in the country.
According to the DA, the program’s production support services are intended to procure high-quality and high-yielding varieties of high-value crops. Section 4 of RA No. 7900 states that high-value crops, such as beans, spices, and condiments, provide higher revenue per unit area than basic staple or traditional crops. The distribution of seeds also depends on the priority crops of each region or province.
Geared to the implementation of the said national program, the municipality of Bontoc, through OMAG, has allotted an amount of 150,000 pesos for the program’s implementation in 2024. Further, OMAG Bontoc pointed out that the budget was funded by the municipal office and the DA.
Cheryle T. Fungo, Agriculture Technologist of OMAG Bontoc, shared that they were able to purchase various vegetable seeds within the budget. The purchase order includes flowering petchay, snap beans, sitaw, and bitter gourd/ampalaya.
In addition, Fungo underscored how the distribution of seeds helps farmers and contributes to the program’s effectiveness in attaining its objectives.
“The distribution of seeds is somehow beneficial to farmers since they no longer need to spend money on farm supplies. If they plant and grow the seeds properly, they will have a vegetable supply for consumption and can sell the surplus to earn money,” she said.
Fungo reiterated that while the seeds are distributed for free, farmers need to reproduce the seeds to have something to plant in the next season. Seed reproduction helps farmers become less reliant on government programs.
In an interview with Lita, a farmer who is a regular beneficiary of the HVCDP distribution of high-value crop seeds, she highlighted the importance of the program to her as a small-scale farmer.
“Nagmayat daytoy programa ti gobyerno ta talaga nga makatulong kanyatayo nga agmulmula ti nateng.Siak ket bassit lang ti mulmulaak nga lote ngem mayat ta adda mulmulaak nga garden ket adda pangalaan metlaeng ti sarili nga ipangan ken no sumobra ket mabalin nga imarket (This government program is good as it helps us to plant and produce vegetables. I only plant a small unit of land, though it is okay as we have a source of vegetables that we can consume in our homes, and if there is more, we can sell them to the market as a source of income),” she added.
Furthermore, Lita mentioned that while the government makes ways to support the farmers and the agriculture sector, it is also high time to focus on solving the problems of high prices of farm inputs such as fertilizers.
OMAG also encouraged all program beneficiaries who availed of seeds from their office to participate in KADIWA ng Pangulo outlets such as KADIWA stores to display and sell their products. With this, it will be a support to their livelihood.
KADIWA is a marketing initiative of the DA that seeks to provide consumers with access to quality yet affordable goods and commodities while facilitating farmers’ and fishers’ access to the market, it allows them to sell their products directly without the market intermediaries for a higher income.
Meanwhile, OMAG Bontoc reminds everyone who wants to avail themselves of the free seeds to visit their office and likewise inquire about the other services offered. Also, there is no requirement for the distribution of seeds as they entertain everyone, especially the farmers. Beneficiaries need only to register to maintain compliance records for the office.