Women farmers boost Albay’s food security

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

UNDER the shadow of Mount Mayon, the ‘Women for Progress’ movement, with nearly 10,000 women planters in Albay’s third district, continuously cultivates a communal garden that produces a variety of vegetables, corn, and root crops. This effort supports the government’s initiative to propel food sustainability in the countryside.

Cherry Patriarca, a mother of two and a resident of Baligang village in Ligao City, is the president of the Baligang Women Planters Association. She and her members recently harvested pechay and other vegetables planted on less than one-fourth hectare of land owned by the city government of Ligao.

Baligang village is located within the six-kilometer danger zone at the foot of the Mayon Volcano. The group was organized in 2023 while temporarily housed at the evacuation center in Basag, Ligao City, following the eruption of Mayon Volcano from June to August last year.

The association has 34 members, all women, who generate income and provide fresh vegetables to the villagers and the public market. They continue to cultivate the communal garden using idle land owned by the Ligao city government.

Cherry’s group is the newest of the women planters organized by Rep. Fernando Cabredo in the third district.

“Since our group was organized, we have been able to generate extra income to support our families and pay for our children’s schooling. We are happy and grateful to Congressman Fernando Cabredo for organizing us while we were staying at the evacuation center during the Mayon Volcano eruption,” Cherry told Bicol Mail.

“We continue the communal garden on the idle land of the city government. Mayor Fernando Gonzalez told us we could use the land while it is not in use. It’s less than one hectare, where we have planted a variety of vegetables, including root crops. We have direct buyers who come to get our produce, which helps us meet the food requirements of our village,” she added.

Cherry’s group, along with women farmers from Bonga village in Ligao, showcased their vegetable plantations and best practices to officers and members of the Philippine Agriculture Journalists-Bicol chapter (PAJ-Bicol), led by this reporter, and the Department of Agriculture’s public information office, led by Lovella Guarin.

Albay’s third district is the only area in the province with established women farmers producing various vegetables, root crops, corn, peanuts, and upland rice.

The small-scale women farmers in Albay, established almost a decade ago, are helping the government promote food sustainability and combat hunger in the countryside.

The Taranuman sa Barangay project was established by former Albay 3rd District Representative, now Ligao City Mayor, Fernando Gonzalez after Typhoon Nina hit Albay on December 25, 2016. The project’s aim is to provide a source of livelihood for women in Albay through planting vegetables and other root crops in backyards.

Gonzalez’s communal garden project has been a success, generating income for jobless mothers and providing them with space for backyard gardening for personal consumption.

Following the success of the Taranuman sa Barangay project, a women’s market was established on Maharlika Highway (Diversion Road), Barangay Calzada, Ligao City, where agricultural products harvested in communal gardens across Albay’s third district are sold in the Bagsakan market.

Since then, members of the movement have continued to grow with the project, providing fresh vegetables to Albay’s local markets despite challenges such as typhoons, the El Nino phenomenon, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the constant threat of Mayon Volcano eruptions.

The establishment of women planters’ organizations under the Taranuman Project, continued by Cabredo across Albay’s third district, has significantly impacted many lives, especially in promoting food sustainability in the countryside.

Cabredo told Bicol Mail that there are currently 182 women’s organizations with a total of 9,081 women members across Albay’s third district. Their families are a priority in his congressional projects, such as educational and medical assistance programs and TUPAD.

“We have the best practices of the largest association of ‘Women Planters in Bicol,’ and possibly in the entire country, producing various vegetables and root crops year-round. This effort helps alleviate poverty and promote food sustainability,” he said.

The lawmaker stated that they continue to assist women farmers in response to President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos’ program to address food security in the country.

“We will continue to provide assistance to our farmers in response to President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr.’s call to address food security in the country,” Cabredo said. He also expressed gratitude to Department of Agriculture Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla for the continued support and assistance provided to the women planters in Albay’s 3rd district.

These women planters have already made significant contributions to Albay’s food security and sustainability. As an added livelihood opportunity, Cong. Cabredo distributed free-range chickens for their livestock production.

The PAJ Bicol led by this reporter as president, and Board of Director Lovella Guarin of DA Bicol turned over to the women planters 3 sets of garden tools and packets of upland kangkong and okra seeds, which are drought-tolerant varieties courtesy of the DA’s High Value Crop Development Program.

The interventions and garden tools were also given to the Bonga Women Planters in Ligao City. They have planted hybrid corn, sweet potato, cassava, okra, and upo.

The program also provided a total of 10 sets of garden tools, including rakes, hoes, shovels, and sprinklers as well as 1,000 packets of vegetables seeds to the women planters through the office of Cabredo intended for other women farmers in the area.