In its effort to promote Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and organic vegetable farming among barangay residents, ensure the production of vegetables that are healthier than the usual vegetables being sold in the market; and increase awareness among residents through their involvement in producing their own vegetables within their respective gardens and/or available areas, the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR) will continue to support the ‘Gulayan sa Barangay’ Program.
In the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing and awarding of the “Modelong 4Ps Gulayan sa Barangay” activity on November 17, 2023 at the Agriculture Training Institute Cordillera (ATI-CAR), DA-Highland Value Crops Development Program (DA-HVCDP) Focal Person Joan Bacbac explained the measure is in support of the collaborative efforts of DA-CAR, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Baguio, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and SEED Project Asia-Philippines to increase food production and ensure the availability of safe food affordable to the people.
“Our program, under the HVCDP and the National Urban and Peri-Urban program is funding the ‘Gulayan sa Barangay’ program until 2025. We still need the help of DSWD. We had the chance to go around Kalinga and Apayao area and I was very fortunate to meet our municipal coordinators who have been working so hard in the barangays hopefully, we will have a bigger budget for the ‘Gulayan sa Barangay’ and we appreciate it very much if we can also encourage more barangays to enter to this activity where nutritious food is really available for them,” Bacbac said.
The Gulayan sa Barangay project aims to encourage individuals, families, and communities of Pantawid Pamilya to implement community gardening activities that will eventually promote food production at the household and community level and ensure the provision of access to fresh, organically produced food.
During the said activity, major awards were given to the top three Modelong 4P’s Gulayan sa Barangay with the Bangel 4Ps Gulayan sa Barangay in Bangel, Luba, Abra having the highest ranked among five barangays in the implementation of the ‘Gulayan sa Barangay’ program. The 4Ps communal Garden Diana Tungpalan Cluster from Atok-Flora, Apayao ranked second, while the Slant Movers Cluster Gulayan sa Barangay in Monamon Norte, Bauko, Mountain Province ranked third.
The Tukucan Proper and Impugong Parent Group in Tabaan Norte, Tuba, Benguet ranked fourth, while the Balangabang Cluster 4Ps Gulayan sa Barangay in Tukukan Norte in Tinoc, Ifugao ranked fifth, with all the winners receiving farm tools and inputs coming from DA-CAR.
The partnership with DA-CAR aims to strengthen and enhance the implementation of Gulayan sa Barangay of the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries of DSWD-CAR who started their backyard garden as early as 2017, which will eventually contribute to the improvement of the overall health of the Pantawid beneficiaries in the region.
As part of the MOA, DA-CAR will provide technical assistance and training support to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries during Family Development Sessions at the municipal and barangay levels. As the prime implementer of the agriculture and fishery program in the region, DA-CAR is tasked with the promotion of agricultural development, in coordination with DA’s attached agencies particularly ATI-CAR which is tasked to provide capability building and complementary extension activities such as technical assistance to Pantawid beneficiaries.
BPl-Baguio will continue to provide technical assistance and coordination to the project, as deemed necessary.