DAR rolls out Buhay sa Gulay project in Nueva Ecija

August 19, 2021, 11:06 am

Recipients of the Buhay sa Gulay project.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the province of Nueva Ecija recently launched its first ever Buhay sa Gulay Demo Farm in Brgy. San Francisco, Sto. Domingo, to promote the significance of urban farming, and help contribute to the province’s food security.

Buhay sa Gulay project is an initiative of DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones to have an urban farming project that is not a dole-out but a self-help start-up livelihood project where concerned government agencies and organizations will converge, share resources, and offer an opportunity to enable the urban farmers to produce various vegetables, that could also serve as additional source of income.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Eden Ponio said the first urban farming project of the province is in collaboration with the Eastern Santo Domingo Agriculture Cooperative (ESDAC) and a 6,000 square meter lot is allotted for vegetable production.

“During this time of pandemic, it is imperative that we have food resources that we can depend on. Through the Buhay sa Gulay project, we could have a regular supply of vegetables in the community, as well as inspire our urban dwellers to cultivate their own yards and plant vegetables for their own consumption, where they could also save money to spend for food,” Ponio said.

The initial planting of seeds for the urban farming project.

The urban farming project was launched in November last year in Tondo, Manila. It was replicated by the cities of Quezon and Caloocan in NCR. Seeing the success of Buhay sa Gulay project, other urban areas nationwide followed suit including provinces of Palawan, Tacloban, Oriental Mindoro, Davao, Cebu, among others.

Sto. Domingo Mayor Mayor Imee De Guzman lauded the department for always being on the side of small farmers and helping them flourish despite the challenges brought by Covid-19.

“And with this project, the DAR is helping our town to have a sufficient supply of food resources,” De Guzman said.

Meanwhile, ESDAC Chairperson May Pinili expressed her gratitude to the DAR for all the interventions and support the ARBO had received through the years and pledged that it would live up to expectations that they would succeed and would also help support the community in providing fresh food supplies.

DAR inilunsad ang Buhay sa Gulay project sa Nueva Ecija

Inilunsad ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) sa lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija ang kauna-unahang Buhay sa Gulay Demo Farm sa Brgy. San Francisco, Sto. Domingo, upang itaguyod ang urban farming at makatulong sa seguridad sa pagkain ng lalawigan.

Ang Buhay sa Gulay project ay inisyatibo ni DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones upang magkaroon ng urban farming project na hindi lang basta ipinagkakaloob subalit isang self-help start-up livelihood project kung saan ang mga concerned government agencies at organizations ay magtutulungan upang makapagbigay ng oportunidad na palakasin ang mga urban farmers sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanim ng gulay, na maaari ding makapagbigay dagdag kita sa kanila.

Ayon kay Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Eden Ponio ang unang urban farming project ng lalawigan ay kolaborasyon ng DAR at Eastern Santo Domingo Agriculture Cooperative (ESDAC) at 6,000 metro-kwadradong lupa ang mapagtataniman nila ng mga gulayan.

“Sa panahon ng pandemya, napakahalaga na mayroon tayong maaasahang mapagkukuhanan ng pagkain. At sa pamamagitan ng Buhay sa Gulay project, magkakaroon tayo ng regular na suplay ng gulay sa komunidad, at mahihimok din natin ang mga naninirahan sa kabayanan na magtanim sa kanilang mga sariling bakuran upang mayroon silang sariling aanihin at makatipid para sa kanilang pangkain,” ani Ponio.

Ang urban farming project ay inilunsad noong Nobyembre ng nakaraang taon sa Tondo, Manila. Tinularan ito ng siyudad ng Quezon at Caloocan sa NCR. Dahil sa tagumpay ng Buhay sa Gulay project, nagsipagsunuran din ang ibang lalawigan tulad ng Palawan, Tacloban, Oriental Mindoro, Davao, Cebu, at iba pang probinsiya.

Pinuri ni Sto. Domingo Mayor Imee De Guzman ang ahensya dahil sa lagi silang nakasuporta sa mga maliliit na magsasaka at tinutulungan silang umasenso sa kabila ng hirap na dala ng pandemya.

“At sa proyektong ito, tinutulungan ng DAR ang ating bayan upang magkaroon ng sapat na mapagkukuhanan ng pagkain,” ani De Guzman.

Nagbigay rin ng pasasalamat si ESDAC Chairperson May Pinili sa mga suporta at tulong na ibinigay ng DAR sa mga ARBO at nangako na gagawin nila ang lahat upang maibigay ang expectation ng DAR na sila ay magtatagumpay at tutulong rin sila sa komunidad sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng mga sariwang ani.

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Source: https://www.dar.gov.ph/articles/news/102970