Selected families in Lipa City now have a readily available and accessible source of food and livelihood through the “Stables and Greens: Agri-Livestock Integrated Support to Covid-19-Prone Areas” or ALIS-Covid Project.
In support of the “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the project aims to mitigate the effects of the pandemic by promoting agri-livestock household production for consumption and the use of various technologies for meat, egg, and vegetable production.
This collaborative project of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI)-International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH), East-West Seed Company, and the Lipa City local government unit (LGU) benefits the barangays of San Benito, Pinagtong-olan, Marawoy, Lodlod, Tambo, and Banaybanay.
Since the project started in 2020, 156 families in Barangay San Benito already completed three harvests from their 1,500-square meter Stables and Greens community garden.
According to San Benito Barangay Chairperson Quintin Piol, the participating families who are also beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), are very active in maintaining their garden with the help of the ITCPH and East-West Seed.
He added that the harvests go directly to the families for their consumption, but they also sell the surplus to earn extra income and contribute to the group’s revolving fund.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, who visited the project site in San Benito, said the garden should be sustainable even after the project ends in 2022.
He directed the DA Regional Field Office in CALABARZON to introduce off-season planting and other technologies that will increase the yield and income of the farmers.
He added that these communities should also be included in the Food Basket for Metro Manila Project, wherein provinces near Metro Manila would produce and supply the national capital’s food requirements.
Lipa City Mayor Eric Africa expressed his gratitude to the DA and Secretary Dar for the various projects that benefit the city’s poorest families, farmers, and economy such as animal dispersal, seeds distribution, and farm-to-market roads, among others.
During the site visit, Secretary Dar was accompanied by Assistant Secretary for Operations Arnel De Mesa, Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, Regional Director Vilma Dimaculangan, Dr. Ruth Miclat-Sonaco of ICTPH, and East-West Seed Public Affairs Lead Mary Ann Sayoc. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)
