In the midst of the global health crisis the whole world is facing, the government is exhausting all efforts to ensure food availability and accessibility for every Filipino.

In the region, the People Empowerment in Agriculture for Community Enhancement or Project PEACE, a community vegetable production project in select barangays initiated by the Province of Agusan del Norte through the Office of Congresswoman Angelica Rosedell Amante-Matba in coordination with the Department of Agriculture – Caraga is set to be launched on the last week of this month.

The project was created to cushion the impact of the COVID 19  particularly in selected far-flung and poorest of the poor barangays of the province by establishing vegetable gardens that would serve as their own food source.

Other collaborating agencies of the project are the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and the Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units of Agusan del Norte.

Under the program, five areas have been identified in which the techno demo of the vegetable gardens will be established namely Brgy.Lower Olave in Buenavista, Brgy. Sto. Niño in Remedios T. Romualdez, Brgy. Del Pilar in Cabadbaran, Brgy. Bangayan in Kitcharao, and one barangay in Butuan City.

A Training of Trainers for the group who will be working on the techno demo gardens which is scheduled on August 24–28 will be conducted. The group will be composed of representatives from the Army, PNP, IPs, former rebels, and former drug surrenderees. On the other hand, the training will be facilitated by the ATI, TESDA, and DA-Caraga.

According to DA-Caraga Regional Technical Director Rebecca R. Atega , the vegetable was chosen for this project since compared to other crops, it is quicker to grow and harvest.

On the other hand, DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo said that at this time of a pandemic, food production at your own backyard is the hope of ensuring food security.

“The simple act of teaching people the basics in planting can have a huge impact,” Monteagudo said. (Vanessa P. Sanchez/DA13-RAFIS)