TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES — The Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office VIII (DA RFO 8), through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), completed a four-month specialized training series under the Gulayan sa Bayan (GSB) initiative, capacitating approximately 500 farmers across Eastern Visayas from June to September 2026.
Capacity Building and Farmer-Managed Nurseries
The GSB initiative focuses on establishing community-led vegetable production hubs to boost local food security and agricultural self-reliance:
Technical Modules: Participants received hands-on instruction in vegetable grafting, quality seedling production, climate-resilient farming technologies, and values-based organizational management.
Farmer-Managed Nurseries: The program supports the establishment of local nurseries, enabling farmer associations to produce planting materials for member farms, generate additional revenue through seedling sales, and supply seeds to surrounding coastal and rural communities.
Support Package Turnover: Each participating farmer group received a complete agricultural starter kit containing lowland vegetable seeds, organic fertilizers, garden tools, nursery construction materials, and water storage/irrigation equipment, including 200-liter plastic drums.
Sustained Impact on Regional Food Security
The initiative aims to establish long-term community vegetable hubs throughout the region's six provinces:
Income Diversification: By mastering seedling production and grafting, local farming groups can create sustainable revenue streams beyond raw harvest sales.
Long-Term Agency Mandate: DA RFO 8 reaffirmed its commitment to supporting regional vegetable production, maintaining technical assistance as participating associations transition from training to full nursery operations.
