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East-West shows vegetable farming viability
East-West shows vegetable farming viability
For more than four months, East-West Seed trained the farmers on crop diversification, improved vegetable production techniques, and good agricultural practices (GAP) through the Sa Palay at Gulay-May Ani, Hanapbuhay, Oportunidad at Nutrisyon (Pag-ahon) Project.
On September 23, farmers under Pag-ahon celebrated the fruits of their labors in a harvest festival together with representatives from collaborating organizations of the project: Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), East-West Seed, the municipal government of Lupao in Nueva Ecija province and the Lupao Vegetable Growers’ Association (LVGA).
(From left) East-West Seed Philippines Knowledge Transfer Manager Girlie Banaña and General Manager Henk Hermans; Agriculture Secretary William Dar; and Department of Agriculture Food Security Ambassador James Reid attend the harvest festival of farmers supported by the Sa Palay at Gulay-May Ani, Hanapbuhay, Oportunidad at Nutrisyon Project in Lupao town, Nueva Ecija province on Sept. 23, 2020. PHOTO FROM EAST-WEST SEEDLaunched in May as part of the DA’s “Plant, Plant, Plant” program, Pag-ahon aims to give farmers a sustainable income source and ensure food security in their communities amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“Vegetables have great economic power. Diversification into vegetables presents a good business opportunity for our farmers,” said East-West Seed Philippines General Manager Henk Hermans.
He also said vegetables are “cash crops” because they grow faster and can be grown throughout the year, citing that the average income per hectare is also higher. For example, a 1,000-square meter of land planted with bitter gourd (ampalaya) can generate the same income as one hectare planted with rice, he added.
Lupao Mayor Alex Rommel Romano said Pag-Ahon was a “big help” to his town, “especially that we only produce rice once a year.”
“Through this project, more sources of income will be provided to our farmers while ensuring their own food supply,” he added.
Farmers under the project were also trained on how to market their produce to direct buyers, and were linked to Dizon Farms, which has purchased around 5.9 tons of vegetables from them.
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