The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), through its Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) Program, distributed vegetables as relief goods in Benguet in the Cordillera Administrative Region, and in Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao.
The relief operations aim to deliver nutritious food to individuals and families affected by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
At the ATBI in Benguet State University (BSU), the relief operations started as a simple effort to help BSU students. It eventually became a larger initiative to provide healthier solutions to nearby communities.
The BSU-ATBI team initially provided relief goods to stranded students and staff of the university as a result of the enhanced community quarantine that cancelled classes and public transportation in Luzon.
In coordination with various Benguet local government units (LGUs) and organizations, including Bantey-Pisek-Kiweng Organization Inc. and Sappat Indigenous Organization, help was eventually extended to farmers, fisherfolk, vendors, miners and frontliners, such as barangay health workers, security personnel and police officers, among others.
Since March 27, the BSU-ATBI team has distributed food bags containing a variety of fruits and vegetables to more than 600 households in the municipalities of La Trinidad, Bokod, Itogon and Kapangan in Benguet.
With the growing number of Filipinos primarily consuming canned goods and instant foods from relief operations, the team provided communities with healthier food options—such as freshly-picked strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, kinchay, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and potatoes.
The fruits and vegetables were among the produce of BSU’s farmer-incubatees under the ATBI program supported by DOST-PCAARRD.
The program, led by Dr. Ruth C. Diego, researcher and director of BSU-ATBI, aims to effectively support the use and commercialization of mature technologies in the agriculture, aquatic and natural resources sector by establishing and developing viable agribusinesses through technology incubation.
Relief operations in Sultan Kudarat
The same relief assistance was initiated to constituents of Tacurong City and Kalamansig in Sultan Kudarat.
The assistance were implemented by the ATBI of the Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) to Covid-19 frontliners and constituents of municipalities on April 6, 10 and 15
SKSU-ATBI donated 520 bottles of kalamansi juice and 30 packs of mushroom products to the LGU of Tacurong City on April 6.
Another batch of 500 bottles of kalamansi juice and 100 packs of mushroom pickles were distributed to the same location on April 10.
The municipality of Kalamansig received 1,000 bottles of kalamansi juice, 100 packs of mushroom pickles, 10 packs of turmeric and 36 packs of coffee on April 15.
SKSU-ATBI is one of the 16 ATBIs that are supported DOST-PCAARRD under the ATBI Program.
ATBIs house mature technologies on agriculture, aquatic and natural resources (AANR) sectors. These technologies are commercialized by supporting, nurturing, and establishing viable agribusinesses under the ATBIs’ care.
Led by Dr. Rande B. Dechavez of SKSU, the SKSU-ATBI houses technologies on kalamansi, duck eggs, mushroom, and halal goat, among others.
This initiative is just one of the efforts that have been done to help alleviate the situation in the province amid the current health crisis.
PCAARRD is one of the sectoral councils of the DOST, which is mandated to formulate policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates and monitors the national R&D efforts in the AANR sector.
It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program. John Christopher M. Polinar and Kariza M. Geminiano/S&T Media Services
Image credits: Ruth C. Diego/BSU