ADB-funded indigenous vegetable program in Asia gains momentum

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – An Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded project on indigenous vegetable production covering eight Asian countries, including the Philippines, continues to gain momentum.

Simply called RETA 6067 (Regional Technical Assistance), the three-year (2005-2007) project is being coordinated by the Taiwan-based Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) and the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD).

Countries covered are Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The project aims to promote the utilization of indigenous vegetables for improved nutrition of resource-poor households in Asia.

In the Philippines, a number of activities-ranging from field days to training–have been conducted in cooperation with government institutions and agencies.

Among these were the field days so far implemented by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Baños National Crop Research and Development Center (DA-BPI-LBNCRDC) in cooperation with the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU).

MMSU, headed by its president, Dr. Miriam Edulian-Pascua, is a multi-campus institution of higher learning in Ilocos Norte whose seat of administration is the main campus in Batac town. NVSU is based in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

The field days aim to increase awareness, acceptance, and utilization of indigenous vegetables or katutubong gulay as cheap, safe, highly nutritious, and easy-to-grow food sources, and as alternative sources of income.

During the field days, the stakeholders select the vegetables to be popularized in their locality through the conduct of observations, surveys, and taste tests.

The field day at MMSU was attended by a good number of farmers, consumers, school children, and guests. It showcased several accessions of kulitis, saluyot, vegetable soybean, kangkong, alugbati, patola, pakupis, and tamleng.

Survey results and observations showed that most of the katutubong gulay were a hit among the participants. Among the 21 accessions of kulitis and two accessions of alugbati evaluated through taste tests, accessions TOT 1810 and TOT 2272 were preferred by consumers, farmers, and school children.

Two accessions of alugbati also received comparable ratings.

The field days at NVSU was participated in by 220 farmers, traders, consumers, and school children. It showcased several accessions of indigenous leafy and fruit vegetables such as ampalaya, kulitis, saluyot, vegetable soybean, kangkong, tomato, patola, pakupis, and roselle.

"Judging from the response of the participants, farmers will multiply and plant seeds of the chosen kulitis and alugbati accessions as well as kangkong, saluyot, and pakupis, in the fields of Nueva Vizcaya and Ilocos Norte," reported Josefina Acedera-Atienza of PCARRD.

The training component of the project was designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of rural women on the use of katutubong gulay to meet the nutritional needs of their families. Although intended primarily for women, the training activities have also been exciting the interest of male members of households.

One such training was conducted in Bay, Laguna, which was attended by 86 parents, teachers, barangay councilors, students, and on-the-job trainees. The resources speakers came from UP Los Baños, BPI-LBNCRDC, and local government units.

The training was divided into three modules: katutubong gulay and their role in households’ nutritional security; setting up a home garden; and food preparation.

A highlight of the training component is the cooking contest wherein 19 katutubong gulay recipes were developed by the participants.

The trainees were also provided with a training kit which included a book on home gardening, information leaflets on indigenous vegetables, and a seed kit intended for first-timers in home gardening.