The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR), in partnership with the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has initiated the execution of the MV2C technical cooperation project geared towards supporting farmers in Benguet.
This collaborative effort involves the engagement of the Japanese consulting firm IC-NET, which is facilitating the implementation of demonstration trials across five farming zones in Atok and Buguias, Benguet. These trials are part of the MV2C technical cooperation Pilot Project 1-B (MV2C PP-1B), also known as the “Optimization of Greenhouse Cultivation for Dispersed Vegetable Production and Shipment Timing.”
Dr. Aki Kubota, the Expert-in-Charge of MV2C PP-1B, elucidated that Benguet Province was chosen as one of the pilot regions for this training initiative due to its remarkable vegetable production capabilities compared to other areas with varying elevations in the region.
The project aims to provide farmers with technical assistance to adapt to innovative methods of cultivating high-value crops, such as tomatoes and lettuce. It involves experimenting with six cropping patterns within greenhouses to identify the most effective crop combinations that maximize greenhouse utilization.
Dr. Kubota expressed, “We have two pilot projects—one in Benguet and another in Quezon Province. In Benguet, our focus is on encouraging farmers to make full use of the greenhouses, which were primarily provided by the High Value Crop Development Program (HVCDP). We noticed that not all farmers were utilizing the greenhouses to their potential, which is why we introduced various cropping patterns to help them leverage this resource.”
The initial phase of the project involved the transplantation of romaine lettuce by farmers in Atok and Buguias. This crop, along with sweet peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli, is being tested to determine optimal growth conditions and production methods.
Dr. Leonora Verzola, Senior Regional Specialist of the MV2C Project for Benguet, highlighted several technology components being introduced to farmers, including effective greenhouse cropping patterns that lead to higher-priced vegetables in the market, the introduction of new tomato varieties, plant training techniques for extended harvesting, and the utilization of various agricultural techniques.
The program also encompasses soil testing, soil structure improvement through green manure crops, grafting of tomato plants, knowledge sharing among farmers, farm cost-income assessment, and future planning.
Among the participating farmers are Mateo Miguel and Daniel Sacley from the Cattubo Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CMPC) who are cultivating tomatoes and broccoli lettuce. Additionally, Vilma Punasen, Winny Taynan, and Johnny Butangan from the Atok Good Practitioners Association (AGPA) are involved in planting broccoli and lettuce.
After an on-farm training session on tomato production, Johnny Butangan expressed gratitude for the technical support provided by JICA in collaboration with DA-CAR, highlighting how the training has improved their knowledge, camaraderie, market understanding, logistics management, and productivity strategies.
Following the pilot project’s outcomes, DA-CAR plans to expand the MV2C program to other parts of the region. Dr. Kubota indicated, “Our next steps include Mankayan and Kibungan next year, based on the target areas decided by DA-CAR AMAD and JICA. The subsequent dissemination of this technology and approach will be the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture.”
