The world now is profoundly affected by this global pandemic. Adding to the threat of public health and well-being, as well as the economic and long term livelihoods of the people, food sufficiency and hunger is now the common clamor of mostly those in poor sector.

Recognizing the great challenge that the government is facing to combat the Covid 19 pandemic, and in response to the Plant, Plant, Plant Program of the Department of Agriculture, ATI-RTC X, together with all other ATI network of training centers have realigned its programs and activities to further address the problem of food sufficiency. One of which is making vegetable planting easier through the distribution of vegetable seedlings.

Propagation of seedlings is one of the problems of newbie gardeners. Growing seedlings that are surely healthy and will grow into robust and productive plants. ATI-RTC X through its agriculturists grow vegetable seedlings that are distributed to those who want to plant vegetables in their own backyard. Mr. Mark Keemple Darap, with the assistance of Mr. Jeriel Canonigo, both agriculturists of the Center manage to prepare and establish the nursery area for the propagation of the vegetable seedlings.

First to receive the free vegetable seedlings are the employees of ATI-RTC X, to be able toestablish their own container or backyard gardens. The distribution was led by OIC Center Director Maria Lydia A. Echavez. The employees received garden tools, vermicast, and pechay and kangkong seedlings.

The next batch of seedlings are received by the neighboring residents of El Salvador City. The garden enthusiasts followed to the announcements posted in facebook that free seedlings of squash, pole sitao and okra are available at the Center.

ATI-RTC X also distributed vegetable seeds to walk-in clients, with the remaining available seeds in the center. Procurement processes are on-going to purchase more seeds and gardening tools. These will be used for distribution as extension support to the realigned program, of which more radio broadcast are to be done instead of face to face training programs.

With most of us now going into planting vegetables in our backyards, all together we will make it through with this crisis.