LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – To heighten the competitiveness of highland vegetables, the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) has invested around 29 billion for the past six years as a support to the vegetable industry.
Among the interventions given include farm-to-market roads (FMR), provision of green house, rain shelter, nursery, screen house, bio–organic fertilizer plant, power tractor, power sprayer, shredder, draft animals, small scale irrigation projects, vegetable processing facilities, vegetable dehydrator, vegetable processing equipment, plastic crates, provision of upland vegetable seeds, foot sealer, vacuum sealer, construction of vermicomposting shed and botanical concoction center, shredder, plastic drums, and sprayers.
Moreover, one of the biggest interventions of the Department is the establishment of the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).
It is an avenue for farmers and buyers to have better market access and direct link between farmers and consumers, for a more stable and affordable supply of consumers.
“It is a way to embark as well as to invest in the lives of the farmers. This facility desires to provide vegetable farmers with a system and a legacy that can truly improve their economic state,” said DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.
On the other hand, a special project of the DA, the Second Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project (CHARMP2) have invested 1.3 billion in the vegetable industry covering Rural infrastructure project such as farm-to-market roads, footpath, foot bridges, communal irrigation system, domestic water supply, community infrastructure; livelihood assistance fund to Livelihood Interest Group; reforestation and agroforestry.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Rural Development Project-Regional Project Coordination Office (PRDP-RPCO) is currently working on a 14 million worth of projects on the rehabilitation of nursery and high value crop protected production areas damaged by typhoon “Lando”, rehabilitation of greenhouse and protected areas for organic vegetable production, leafy vegetable production under protected cultivation; lettuce seedling production using greenhouse; community based upland vegetable seedling production under modern greenhouse structure; input provision for affected vegetable farmer members, tomato and potato tuber production under greenhouse condition, and establishment of protected cultivation structures for vegetable production in support to typhoon damaged production areas.
By JFP
