MMSU pushes biointensive gardening

August 05, 2021

By Kimberly S. Miguel
Correspondent

 

To help communities sustain food productivity amid the ongoing crisis, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is implementing the Bio-Intensive Gardening (BIG) project in the City of Batac. 

 

BIG: Panlaban sa COVID-19 para sa Ilocos is a package of technology (POT) of the MMSU’s Research and Extension Directorates that seeks to train communities on how to establish vegetable gardens. 

 

The project includes an orientation on vegetable gardening and values formation, and training on vegetable and organic fertilizer production, as well as farm planning and budgeting. 

 

Beneficiaries are the families of 40 pupils from the Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School (MMES), Hilario Valdez Memorial Elementary School (HVMES), Catalino Acosta Memorial Elementary School (CAMES), and Baay Elementary School (BES) in Batac. 

 

They were trained by Prof. Beatriz S. Malab, a soil science expert and a retired MMSU faculty; Ms. Marissa I. Atis, project leader and university researcher; CAFSD faculty Prof. Geovannie Stanley S. Malab, Dr. Floramante Pastor, and Dr. Sosima R. Demandante, also the chief of the ED’s technology demonstration unit.

 

Atis said after the training, the project team validated the beneficiaries’ suitable planting areas, which are either small farms or backyards in their homes and schools.

 

The areas were identified with the help of the focal persons of the Batac schools: Mr. John Resty Arellano and Ms. Maricon Gapas of MMMES; Ms. Rowena Fiesta of HVMES; Ms. Leenieh Jane Aquino of CAMES; and Ms. Felina Pungtilan of BES.

 

She added they started distributing vegetable seeds (okra and pole sitao), seedlings (bitter gourd, eggplant, squash, tomato, finger pepper, and pechay), including organic and inorganic fertilizers to the beneficiaries last July 29. 

 

The beneficiaries are expected to become models on vegetable gardening by sharing the POT to their own communities, thus ensuring food sustainability in the locality.

 

This project is in support to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Plant, Plant, Plant Program (4Ps) and the DepEd-Batac's Agmula, Agtaraken, Agtagibalay, ken Agliwliwa (4As) program. 

 

To run for a year, this project is implemented in partnership with the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC) and the Department of Education- Schools Division of Batac. It is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) supportive of the Quick Response Program for COVID-19 of the agency. 

 

Last April, the University launched the Vegetable Production Project at the Ilocos Norte Agricultural College (INAC) in Pasuquin. 

 

Last year, the University also trained its employees and students on how to establish their own backyard vegetable garden thru the Collaborative Vegetable Gardening (CoVEG) project. 

 

Dr. Aris Reynold V. Cajigal, extension director, said the project is one strategy of the University in transferring crop production technologies to communities.

 

It is among the initiatives under the High impact and transformative extension and outreach program, one of the University’s seven-point agenda to ACHIEVE. – With report from Ms. Abegail Marcelino, project staff (StratCom)