Thirty-five (35) agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) members of the Macutay ARB Farmers Association, Inc. (MAFAI), located in Macutay, Rizal, Kalinga, have engaged in organic vegetable production after completing a livelihood training conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to help them become resilient to unpredictable climate, produce better crops and increase their profit.
Adela Damaso DAR-Kalinga Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer said the training was conducted under the Sustainable Livelihood Support to Disaster Affected Areas (SLSDAA) of the agency, in compliance with the directive of DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III to improve the livelihood of the farmers.
SLSDAA is under the Climate Resiliency & Farm Productivity Support Program (CRFPSP) of the department geared towards building resiliency in agrarian communities through the enhancement of productivity as an adaptation measure for climate change.
“This livelihood training extended to the members of the cooperative has equipped the farmers with knowledge and skills on organic vegetable production. It aims to enhance farmers’ traditional knowledge and adopt innovative changes to increase their productivity and income,” Damaso said.
Damaso said the training taught the ARBs modern organic farming technology of producing organic vegetables from land preparation to post-harvest activities.
The farmers were lectured on climate change awareness and good agricultural practices. They had hands-on intensive training on producing organic fertilizer and the process and management of organic vegetable production.
Adeline Basiag, DAR Kalinga SLSDAA point person said the ARBs were encouraged to replicate the demo farm in their own farms and backyards for the daily supply of nutritious foods and as a source of sustainable livelihood of their family.
Jerry Agamata Ronelo, president of the MAFAI, on behalf of the ARBs, thanked the DAR-Kalinga because they have learned so much from the training and said that they would maintain a record to compare their previous traditional method of planting with the new technology.
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Mga agrarian reform beneficiary sa Kalinga nakibahagi sa produksyon ng organic vegetable
Tatlumpu’t limang (35) agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) na miyembro ng Macutay ARB Farmers Association, Inc. (MAFAI), na matatagpuan sa Macutay, Rizal, Kalinga, ang nagsagawa ng organic vegetable production matapos makumpleto ang livelihood training na isinagawa ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) upang tulungan silang maging matatag sa mga hindi inaasahang papalit-palit na klima, makapag-prodyus ng mas magandang pananim at madagdagan ang kanilang kita.
Sinabi ni Adela Damaso DAR-Kalinga Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer na training ay isinagawa sa ilalim ng Sustainable Livelihood Support to Disaster Affected Areas (SLSDAA) ng ahensya, bilang pagsunod sa direktiba ni DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III na mapabuti ang kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka.
Ang SLSDAA ay nasa ilalim ng Climate Resiliency & Farm Productivity Support Program (CRFPSP) ng departamento na nakatuon sa pagbuo ng katatagan sa mga agrarian reform communities sa pamamagitan ng pagpapahusay ng produktibidad bilang sukatan base sa pagbabago ng klima.
“Ang livelihood training na ito na ipinagkaloob sa mga miyembro ng kooperatiba ay nagbigay sa mga magsasaka ng kaalaman at kasanayan sa organic vegetable production. Nilalayon nitong pahusayin ang tradisyonal na kaalaman ng mga magsasaka at magpatibay ng mga makabagong teknolohiya upang mapataas ang kanilang produktibidad at kita,” ani Damaso.
Sinabi ni Damaso na ang pagsasanay ay nagturo sa mga ARB ng modernong teknolohiya sa organikong pagsasaka tulad ng pagtatanim ng mga organikong gulay mula sa paghahanda ng lupa hanggang sa post-harvest activities.
Ang mga magsasaka tinuruan tungkol sa kaalaman sa mga pagbabago-bago ng klima, at mga magagandang gawaing pang-agrikultura. Nagkaroon sila ng hands-on intensive training sa paggawa ng organic fertilizer at ang proseso at pamamahala ng organic vegetable production.
Hinikayat ni Adeline Basiag, DAR Kalinga SLSDAA point person ang mga ARB na gayahin ang demo farm sa kanilang sariling mga sakahan at likod-bahay para sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na mga kinakailangang masusustansyang pagkain at bilang mapagkukunan ng kabuhayan ng kanilang pamilya.
Nagpasalamat si Jerry Agamata Ronelo, presidente ng MAFAI, sa ngalan ng mga ARB, sa DAR-Kalinga dahil marami silang natutunan sa pagsasanay at sinabing gagawa sila ng talaan upang maihambing ang dati nilang tradisyonal na pamamaraan ng pagtatanim sa bagong natutunang teknolohiya.
