The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office No. 02 (DA-RFO 02) is looking at Solana, Cagayan as Mungo Capital of the province of Cagayan.

“Why not,” said Regional Executive Director Narciso A. Edillo of DA-RFO 02 during the Field Day on Rice-Rice-Mungbean Farming Systems conducted today at Lanna, Solana.

“Solana has a very wide rice area that can be planted with mungo. We only need to exert more effort in promoting mungo production in all barangays of Solana.”

To date, a total of 60 ha in Solana is planted with mungo.

“This started last year when DA personnel came to our office looking for areas for planting of mungo,” said Municipal Agriculturist Samson Macapulay.

“We are lucky because DA considered Solana as the recipient of this technology. We are now witnessing to the success of such through this field day.”

For her part, Solana Mayor Jennalyn Carag announced the municipal government’s strong support to this undertaking.

“We need to teach our farmers the gospels of backyard gardening and integrated farming,” she said.

“Rest assured that the local government will pursue programs that are directed to our farmers. Together with DA and other related agencies, we can make them more productive.”

As per testimonies of farmer cooperators, they found that planting mungo after harvest is indeed profitable.

According to Mr. Peter Mallillin of Lanna and Mr. Edmundo Liquigan of Natappian West, mungo production gave them additional family income.

DA-RFO 02 is widely promoting rice-mungo farming systems entire Region 2 by distributing start-up seeds to interested farmers.

Through DA’s assistance, the town of San Mateo, Isabela was declared as Mungo Capital of the Philippines years back.

Last week, it also conducted mungo field day in Cabatuan, Isabela where yield per hectare had doubled as compared last year.

“We will not only teach ways of producing mungo but also assist in marketing and processing,” said Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulatory Rose Mary G. Aquino.

“We now have soup, pancit, sprout, and other processed products for you, especially our women, to consider.”

Meanwhile, Lanna Barangay Captain Baliuag thanked DA and MLGU Solana for considering their barangay as the site of the field day.

“Maraming salamat po sa inyong mga tulong sa aming barangay lalo na sa paglago ng agrikultura,” he said.

Among the activities are awarding seeds for the Gulayan sa Paaralan for Lanna Elementary School and lectures on various DA and attached agencies programs on credit, insurance, scholarship, irrigation, and others.