ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY - The
Philippines ranks second to the last among the ten countries surveyed for
vegetable consumption.
The
countries surveyed by Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in 2011 were
Vietnam with the highest vegetable consumption at 78% followed by India at
63%, Nepal at 61%, Thailand at 60%, Sri Lanka at 58%, Malaysia at 49%,
Indonesia at 37%, Pakistan at 35% and Bangladesh as the lowest at 18%.
The Philippines consumes less vegetable at 35% which puts the country as one of the lowest consumers of vegetables in Asia.
The increasing population of the country calls for an increasing demand for food. However, people tend to consume more meat than vegetables. DA looked into enhancing the capability of Filipino people to produce their own food through adoption of various means of vegetable production.
To ensure food security and self-sufficiency, and improve vegetable consumption, the Department of Agriculture through its High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), implemented the Gulayan sa Paaralan as an integral component to answer the country’s dilemma in food security. DA looks forward that its partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) will help work things out for the ultimate realization of these efforts as it would be a good legacy not just to the vegetable industry but also to the children and future generations.
Thus, 16 municipalities in the Zamboanga Sibugay province were trained on the basic principles of vegetable gardening through the adoption of organic farming technology system from August 14-17, 2012 at DA’s research center in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. The first batch consisted of the municipalities of Tungawan, RT Lim, Ipil, Titay, Naga, Kabasalan, Siay, and Payao. The municipalities of Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Imelda, Mabuhay, Malangas, Olutanga, and Talusan made up the second batch of trainees. The said municipalities were represented by the teachers-in-charge in the Gulayan Sa Paaralan program therein.
Mr. Hannibal Bayo-ang, HVCDP focal person of Zamboanga Peninsula reminded the trainees that Sibugay was once the 20th poorest province. DA then gave an intervention through food self-reliance and self-sufficiency. It is the target of DA not just to put vegetable gardens in every home but in every school. (NBE/Alpha Solivio/DA9)