Sustaining Development Anchored on Women’s Involvement in Adopting Location-specific Technologies on Vegetable Production

Evangeline P. Agres, Leo G. Inocencio, Alma C. Aguinaldo and
Ronilo A. Beronio

Abstract

In 2004-2008, location-specific technologies (LST) for rice and vegetables were developed under the Technical Cooperation Project Phase 3 (TCP3) of PhilRice and Japan International Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs) of Currimao, Ilocos Norte, and Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. With the success of the projects in these two LGUs, especially for women farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Batac expanded the project to Lagangilang, Abra. Lagangilang was chosen as a partner agency primarily because of nutritional problems among its pre-school children and the willingness of the LGU to support the project. This project, which hinges on women’s involvement, aimed to develop LST on vegetables cultivated in the area. . The first component of technology dissemination consisted of the introduction of TCP3 technologies and hands-on training through the GulayCheck Field School where the scientific premise behind the technologies was discussed. Through demonstration farms established primarily for this project, women farmer innovators implemented various components of the proposed technologies. The women farmer innovators (WFI) implemented the technologies by establishing demonstration farms where the components of the technology were used. The combination of technologies was implemented by women participating farmers (WPF) in farmer’s learning fields (FLFs). The adopted technologies were assessed based on social acceptability, technical feasibility, economic feasibility, environmental soundness, and political acceptability. More than 70% of the women participants adopted technologies that only required labor and minimal material inputs (i.e. planting in raised beds and high ridges; appropriate distance of planting; practice of integrated pest management (IPM); construction of simple nursery and trellis; raising seedlings in cell trays; use of recommended seedling media; off season cultivation; carbonized rice hull (CRH) making). On the other hand, composting, the use of high-quality seeds, basal fertilization, and plastic mulching were less adopted. Of the 560 families in the area, the number of households that grew vegetables, such as bottlegourd (upo), ampalaya, tomato, eggplant, pepper and squash, in their backyards increased from a baseline data of 29% to 45%. Under the program, at least two kinds of vegetables were grown with at least 10 hills for each crop. The success of this study in the three barangays prompted the LGU to replicate it in nine additional barangays and 10 elementary schools in Lagangilang. The women leaders also involved the recipients of the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” (4Ps) in the project. Due to the positive response to the LST program, the LGU launched the “Gulayan sa Bakuran” project which enjoined all households to growing their own vegetables. Consequently, the total area planted to vegetables by all project participants significantly increased from a low 415 m2 to 15,310 m2 on the first year and 26,830 m2 on the second year. Some women sold their produce in the market resulting in average earnings of >PhP 26,000 per year. Others invested the money in livestock production and other economic ventures. With increased vegetable produce from the participants, Tuesdays also became a market day in addition to the original Thursdays and Sundays. Vegetable sufficiency increased from 3.8% in 2007 to 40% in 2012. In addition, the number of underweight children decreased by 34%, reflecting the success of promoting the LSTs to the 4Ps beneficiaries.