VEGETABLE SEEDS. Assorted vegetable seeds are currently being distributed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to local government units in Eastern Visayas. The move aims to encourage the public to engage in home gardening in order to have continuous supply of nutritious food amid the travel restrictions due to the current health crisis. (Photo courtesy of DA)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Easter Visayas has started the distribution of vegetable seeds to encourage residents to engage in home gardening during this time of travel restrictions.
The seeds are distributed through the municipal agriculture or city agriculture offices tasked to distribute these to farmers to ensure that every family has a supply of nutritious food amid the ongoing health crisis.
“Every city and town will be given 200 sets of mixed vegetable seeds. This is to support the local farmers during the Covid-19 crisis and encourage the public to practice urban farming and backyard farming,” said Francis Rosaroso, DA-Eastern Visayas regional information officer.
The distribution kicked off on March 27 in Leyte province, Tacloban City, and Ormoc City.
Northern Samar province will start on March 31, Eastern Samar on April 3, Samar on April 6, and Southern Leyte and Biliran provinces on April 8.
Some 715 kilograms of vegetable seeds are up for distribution and will be planted in an estimated 476.67 hectares of lots in six provinces.
Rosaroso said that aside from seeds distribution, the regional office also continues to issue food lane passes to ensure the fast delivery of agricultural produce and commodities.
The agriculture department has issued 504 food pass lanes for vehicles carrying perishable agricultural commodities, live animals, fishery products, processed food products, and agricultural inputs. (PNA)
