TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) — The P2.7-million infrastructure project under the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) was recently launched in the town of Quezon, Isabela, aiming to ensure equitable, affordable, and accessible healthy food for the populace.
The Protective Cultivation Project, a flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA), seeks to enhance food security, reduce food miles, generate livelihoods, and promote healthy lifestyles in urban and peri-urban areas through agricultural extension and training.
Carol Albay, regional NUPAP focal person, said the project incorporates environment-friendly technologies, including greenhouses with hydroponics systems, a nursery, a mushroom growing house, and a poultry house.
Albay said the new greenhouse facilities feature solar-powered systems, advanced drip irrigation technology, and various hydroponic methods, which enable the cultivation of premium crops like Japanese melons, honeydew, and lettuce.
Alongside the infrastructure, the local government unit of Quezon, as the main project beneficiary, also received more than P400,000 worth of agricultural supplies. These include 10 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds, 50 fruit-bearing tree seedlings, 50 bags of fertilizer, 112.5 kilograms of potting mix, 150 seedling trays, 50 plastic crates, 10 plastic drums, two wheelbarrows, two soil augers, and two mini tilling machines.
Albay encouraged the establishment of more greenhouse infrastructure modeled after neighboring ASEAN countries. She also expressed interest in partnering with state universities to introduce students to urban agriculture technologies early in their academic journey.
DA Region 2 Executive Director Rose Mary G. Aquino emphasized that the project is a significant step toward a sustainable and resilient agricultural sector. “We will continue to enrich urban and peri-urban agriculture to attain food security,” Aquino said.
Vice Mayor Daryl Gascon of Quezon said the DA has been a reliable partner in uplifting the lives of local farmers, particularly those cultivating high-value commercial crops.
Gascon said that over the years, the agency has extended critical support in the form of financial grants, modern farm equipment, training programs, and access to advanced technologies, which have helped farmers increase their productivity, adopt climate-resilient practices, and gain better access to markets. (ALM/GVB/PIA Cagayan with reports from Ferdinand Cortez, DA RFU 2)
