Farmers in Quezon learn organic veggie production
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said 30 agrarian reform beneficiary members of the Ilayang Yuni Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IYMPC) based in Mulanay, Quezon, have completed livelihood training on organic agriculture production.
The training would help the farmers mitigate the effect of climate change through organic farming, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said.
"This livelihood training extended to the cooperative has equipped the farmers with knowledge and skills on organic vegetable farming. This will be a big help in increasing their productivity and income," Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Cornelio Villapando said.
During the training, the farmers were encouraged to practice organic farming to enhance the fertility of the soil, and improve farm biodiversity.
"This can also help in preventing further depletion of natural resources," added Villapando.
The farmers were lectured on climate change awareness and good agricultural practices and had hands-on intensive training on producing organic fertilizer and the process and management of organic vegetable production.
The training came with farm machines for the cooperative together with a power tiller, a water pump, two grasscutters, three knapsack sprayers, two pressurized power sprayers, and five plastic drums. Villapando said the farmers were also trained in the proper use and maintenance of the farm machines.
At the end of the training, the cooperative celebrated with a harvest festival featuring the vegetables they planted in their demo farm.
"We are so grateful for this training because we learned so much. Now we know how to deal with the impacts of climate change on our crops," said Ronelo de Lara, manager of Ilayang Yuni Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IYMPC).
The four-month-long training was conducted under the DAR's Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS). The program is geared towards building resiliency and enhancing agricultural productivity as an adaptation measure to combat climate change.
The project also aims to mechanize farm production systems and to be used as revenue-generating assets of the cooperatives.
Jonathan L. Mayuga
Jonathan L. Mayuga is a journalist for more than 15 years. He is a product of the University of the East – Manila. An awardee of the J. G. Burgos Biotech Journalism Awards, BrightLeaf Agricultural Journalism Awards, Binhi Agricultural Journalism Awards, and Sarihay Environmental Journalism Awards.
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