BATAC CITY, Ilocos Norte - Intensified food production is now the call of the times. With the ill-effects of COVID-19 such as hunger, loss of jobs and businesses down, the need to innovate and initiate is a must.
After the intensive Seminar on Urban Gardening and Edible Landscaping in two cities of Ilocos Norte and the Municipality of Badoc, another big event has been launched. This is the Community Learning Site (CLS) on Diversified Farming System that will be established in Barangay Tabug in Batac City. The CLS will showcase updated production and post-harvest technologies of different commodities such as rice, vegetables, free-range chicken, vermicomposting and mushroom that will be located in the different sitios of barangay.
The CLS was finally launched on August 27 at the Community Center of Barangay Tabug where among the highlights include the ceremonial transplanting of the Rice Innovations and Technology Adaptations (RITA) 10 technology demonstration and the soft launching of the Barangay Farmers Information Technology Services (FITS) Center. RITA 10 is the newest rice technology of DA that focuses on nutrient management, expecting a 10-ton yield per hectare.
The half-day activity which aims to intensify food production in the community is a collaborative venture of ATI Ilocos Region, Department of Agriculture-Ilocos Norte Research Experiment Center, Philippine Carabao Center at Mariano Marcos State University, and City Agriculture Office of Batac. It was graced by heads of participating agencies and offices, City Officials of Batac, led by City Mayor, Hon. Albert D. Chua, and private seed and fertilizer companies like East West, RAMGO, KANEKO, and VALAP Inc.
“We are very thankful to the agencies for selecting our barangay as beneficiary of this project. We will do our best to embrace this until we fulfill our goal to become a model barangay of sustainable food until our dream will come true --the TABUGandang Ani, TABUGandang Buhay,” Punong Barangay Arnold Alibuyog said as he expressed his gratitude during the closing of the activity.
The CLS certificate and financial support to the barangay is hoped to be awarded during the harvest Festival in November.