To date, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office No. 02 (DA-RFO 02) had already distributed assorted vegetable seeds and seedlings in Cagayan Valley worth over Five Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P5,500,000.00).
“A total of 73,943 packs of seeds and 45,234 pieces of seedlings were already distributed covering 11,471 households and 93 municipalities regionwide,” said Regional Executive Director Narciso A. Edillo.
“We will continue distributing these materials in support to the Plant, Plant, Plant Program (PPPP) to cater to more households and help secure food availability and security in our localities,” he said.
According to Engr. Blesita Tega, Regional Coordinator, High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), the Adopt-A-Barangay scheme of the PPPP, is also continuously implemented to ensure more comprehensive implementation of the program and in support to the Gulayan sa Likod Bahay (household gardening).
“We already enrolled four (4) barangays to include BLISS Village, City of Ilagan and San Fermin, Cauayan City in Isabela and San Gabriel and Carig, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan. We hope to launch two (2) more within the month,” she uttered.
“Due to increased public demand, the office had refocused some of its budgets to procure more seeds and seedlings and accommodate requests from various sectors.”
Tega said that DA-RFO 02 is also eyeing a collaboration with State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), military personnel, and government agencies as partners to ensure sustained implementation.
“Cagayan State University (CSU) campuses have collaborated with DA-RFO 02 to produce vegetable seedlings and assist in the distribution of seedlings in nearby barangays,” she mentioned.
“As of today, at least ten (10) government agencies and four (4) non-government organizations participated in the program.”
