Region 8—The Operation Department Manager, Delsy J. Revellame, SMD Area Engineers, Louie V. Mendoza and Glenn Dexter B. Laurente, Irrigation Management Office (IMO) Managers—Conrado M. Samson (Biliran-Leyte del Norte-Leyte del Sur IMO), Rizalina B. Gallarde (Eastern-Western Samar IMO), and Georden A. Lemsic (Northern Samar IMO), and other NIA staff, conducted site visit in Capiñahan Family Model Farm in Capiñahan, Naval, Biliran on January 27, 2022.
The Capiñahan Farmers Irrigators Association (FIA) is a recipient of the 3-Million worth of family model farm project under Irrigation Management Transfer Support Services-Locally Funded Projects (IMTSS-LFP) CY 2019. The project was completed in April 2021, which includes a nursery; three (3) greenhouses which each measure 26 meters in length and 4 meters in width, with two (2) units inside plots measuring 26 meters x 1.35 meters; and a water system for drip irrigation.
The project covers a parcel of land with an area of 8,246 square meter under Usufruct Agreement for 10 years in favor of the Irrigators Association. Capiñahan was chosen for this project because its climate is favorable for high-valued crops. Likewise, the IA was recognized with its high agricultural productivity in the entire municipality of Naval.
Along with this project, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Naval Agriculture Technician, Laurence Christian Mangco; NIA Agriculturist, Andry Banayag; and IA President/DA Farmer Technician, Myrna Sanchez, conducted a Season-Long Training on High Value Vegetable Crop Production with special features on Good Agricultural Practices and Drip Irrigation, which started on March 16, 2021.
Recently, the Capiñahan FIA received additional fund amounting to 1 Million Pesos for the development of water source, improvement of nursery house, construction of post-production/crop processing shed, installation of perimeter fence, and installation of solar-powered perimeter lights.
Initially, the IA harvested a total of 50 kg of lettuce, 15 kg of eggplant, 10 kg of tomato, and 5 kg of sweet pepper during the visit of the Regional Manager Ruby C. Tuan, Jr. on June 15, 2021.
Subsequently, the Capiñahan FIA had its harvest festival on August 11, 2021, and successfully harvested 95 kg of lettuce, 117 kg of tomato, 50 kg of eggplant, and 3kg of cauli flower.
The Family Model Farm supports the farmers for sustainable livelihood, and the community for food source.
Also, the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program of the government, helped the farmers to ensure market through linkage with private and public sectors.
Now, the IA is planting cabbage as their additional vegetable plant in the farm.
This project is one of the efforts of NIA Administrator, Ricardo R Visaya, to address issues on Global Warming and Climate Change through the adoption of crop diversification.
