“Kadakulung tabang sading mga narisibe kong mga pantanom kina gamit sa pagtanom gyalin sa gobyerno para sa sakon na mga kabarangay,” said Barangay Captain Maximo L. Maño of Bañag, Daraga in Albay during the distribution of farm inputs and vegetables seeds last January 26, 2021 at barangay Malabog Covered Court of same municipality for the implementation of the Albay Family-Based Food Production Program (AFBFPP) Season 5.
Daraga Municipal Agriculturist Meljie Matociños said that 5,400 households from 54 barangays will benefit from the program which will assure the municipality of food availability and security despite the still raging COVID19 pandemic and possible occurrence of strong typhoons.
According to Albay Provincial Agriculturist Che Rebeta, this local initiative was launched five years ago in partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Bicol. However, with the pandemic and the typhoons that ravaged the province, the activities of the program were enhanced and upscaled to suit the present need and situation of the people.
This family-based food production program (was) conceptualized by Gov. Al Francis C. Bichara aims to provide sustainable, healthy food for every family in Albay through the establishment of vegetable gardens in every barangay of at least 100 households.
“This program will also address the incidence of malnutrition in the province by having available and nutritious food,” she added.
The government also tapped the technical staff of the Albay Provincial Agriculture Office (APAO) as Community Facilitators to provide assistance to the 53,658 households from 659 barangays in Albay.
DA-Bicol Field Operations Division-OIC Chief Dr. Mary Grace DP Rodriguez provided vegetable seeds and garden tools as part of the Plant, Plant, Plant Program or the Ahon Lahat, Pagkain Sapat (ALPAS) Laban sa CoViD19.
CF for Polangui Dexter Repuyan shared that residents in barangay Danao in said town are excited to start their home gardening when he delivered the assorted vegetable seeds and garden tools recently.
Maño hoped that with this program, households will have available, safe and healthy food; additional income from excess produce; generate savings; and might awaken the interest of their children to engage in farming.
DA-Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla urges all LGUs to conduct similar initiatives such as the AFBFPP. He assured the LGUs of support from and strong partnership with DA Bicol in line with the ALPAS program of the government. # # # (Jayson M Gonzales / DA-RFO V, RAFIS)
