Amendment of the MC No. 5, S. 2017

January 29, 2018

DA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1, S. 2018

AMENDMENT OF THE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 5 SERIES OF 2017 "GUIDELINES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S URBAN AGRICULTURE-PAGKAIN PARA SA MASA PROGRAM (DA-UAPPSM PROGRAM)"

SECTION 1. Basic Policy. —

Consistent with the directive of the Administration to empower the Filipinos by enhancing their capability to produce their own food through adoption of various technologies on urban agriculture and related programs, the Secretary hereby creates the Department of Agriculture's Urban Gardening-Pagkain para sa Masa Program (DA-UAPPSM) which aims to realize these aspirations.

SECTION 2. Objectives. —

The project is in line with the DA's present thrust of food production and ensuring food availability and affordability. This initiative is three-pronged: establish communal gardens that will showcase sustainable urban farming, empower urban poor families to grow their own food thru urban agriculture, and complement existing feeding programs of the local government units. AHCETa

Specifically, the program aims to:

A. Integrate farming into the lifestyle of the urban dwellers by introducing the values of basic food productions, healthy food systems and clean urban environment;

B. Build strong partnerships and organize collaborating linkages with the Local Government Units (LGUs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), home-owners and community associations in the implementation, promotion and development of urban agriculture in NCR and other highly urbanized areas in the country;

C. Showcase replicable methods and technologies on urban agriculture/edible landscaping and sustainable agriculture thru the establishment of shared or communal gardens and crop museums in barangays/State Universities and Colleges/individual households to showcase model farm in their locality (whichever urban garden model is appropriate to the locality);

D. Develop skills of urban dwellers and interested clientele on urban and organic agriculture technologies; and

E. Mitigate hunger and provide additional income for urban dwellers through food production.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. —

a. Aquaponics refers to the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system 1

b. Hydroponics refers to the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than the soil 2

c. Beneficiaries refers to organized groups that are compliant to the requirements necessary for the program

d. Communal garden/Model Farm refers to the piece of land gardened by a group of people using either individual or shared plots on public or private land with the consent of the owner/s, for production of edibles such as herbs, vegetables, fruits and ornamentals

e. Crop museum refers to a garden established in a community which aims to save different crop varieties, particularly indigenous crops

f. Edible landscaping (EL) is the art and science of making a piece of ground attractive and useful by arranging edible plants (vegetables, herbs and spices) and other landscape materials like stones, etc. into a pleasing design

g. Food security refers to a situation wherein food staples are available and affordable at all times, and where all people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life

h. Gourmix is a ready mix nutritional food developed through the help of DA-BAR

i. Urban refers to cities and other geographical areas distinct from rural areas

j. Urban agriculture refers to the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around a village or city.

k. Urban dweller refers to individual or group of people living in urban areas

l. Mushroom culture the process of producing food and other products by the cultivation of mushrooms in some type of organic substance, such as ground wood chips, hay and compost or leaves

SECTION 4. Program Components. —

1. Urban Agriculture Component

1.1 ATIng Gulayan ng DA: Street Caravan

The ATIng Gulayan ng DA project will be spearheaded by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in collaboration with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and other DA attached agencies and offices in accordance with the directives of the Secretary. The project requires ATI to be at the forefront of training and empowering households and communities to adopt urban agriculture technologies. This activity is an information/advocacy campaign on the promotion of urban agriculture that will be piloted in the National Capital Region. The activity provides seminars/trainings, IEC materials and initial inputs such as seedlings and soil media for urban gardening. ScHADI

1.2 Establishment of Communal Garden and Crop Museum thru Partnerships

A communal garden will be established in strategic locations to serve as a model farm for urban agriculture technologies and learning site for skills development for urban dwellers and other garden enthusiasts.

If the space is available, a crop museum will also be established within the community that will serve as the focal point for saving different crop varieties including indigenous crops.

2. Mushroom Culture Component — This intends to teach urban dwellers about mushroom cultivation in an urban setting and supply them with start-up mushroom fruiting bags.

The BPI shall conduct trainings and demonstrations to the beneficiaries to showcase the advantages and benefits of growing mushrooms.

3. Feeding Program Component — This intends to complement the existing feeding programs of the local government.

SECTION 5. Strategies of Implementation. —

1. Creation of the DA-UAPPSM Team

The DA and its attached agencies as well as the other proponents including the private sector, if any, shall create a team that will ensure the smooth implementation of the program.

2. Partnerships

In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and the beneficiaries, a Memorandum of Agreement is hereby made.

The POs, NGOs, and other organizations shall be subject to the governing laws, rules, and regulations for accreditation. In this regard, all beneficiary organizations must undergo the accreditation process in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations issued by the proper authority.

In addition, POs and NGOs shall be endorsed by the LGU.

3. Establishment of Communal Garden and Crop Museum

The DA thru ATI-BPI alongside the beneficiaries will establish a communal garden as model farm and learning site for skills development. If the space is available, establishment of a crop museum will also be an option for the community to adopt with the purpose of saving different crop varieties such as small fruit bearing trees, root and tuber crops, etc. as well as indigenous crops.

4. Skills Development

The identified participants of the beneficiaries will undergo training on skills development. Topics will be based on the specific needs of the identified sites. Aside from skills development, beneficiaries may also be entitled to additional training depending on their needs.

5. Promotional and Advocacy Activities

Information drives and advocacy campaigns will be conducted through distribution of IEC materials, social media promotion and market day/harvest festival. The MOA shall indicate the extent of contribution of each partner with respect to this.

SECTION 6. Composition of DA-UAPPSM Team and Their Corresponding Roles and Responsibilities. —

The following institutions shall assume their respective functions in the implementation of this program, to wit:

 

Within the implementation period reckoned from the date of signing of the MOA, the DA undertakes to fulfil the following obligations, viz.:

DA-Special Concerns — The DA-Special Concerns shall spearhead the implementation of all the components of the Urban Agriculture — Pagkain Para sa Masa (UA-PPSM) including urban gardening, mushroom production, and feeding program. It shall also establish links and coordinate with private partners and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that can supplement the DA's inputs to the DA-UAPPSM. aICcHA

Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) — The ATI, together with the BPI, shall lead in the implementation of the urban gardening component of the DA-UAPPSM. It shall also conduct the needed training in line with the different components of the program. It shall also provide resource persons for technical training and assistance. In addition to it, ATI shall also be in charge of the development of appropriate module for each beneficiary, as well as on the evaluation of the trainees' capacities.

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) — the BPI shall provide planting materials, garden tools and organic fertilizers for the establishment of urban gardening component of the program. With regards to the mushroom production component, the BPI shall provide mushroom kits for the intended beneficiaries as well as technical assistance relative to the mushroom farming. It shall closely coordinate with the ATI for the training of both the beneficiaries and the manpower that the Barangay will provide for the maintenance of the demo farm and its facilities.

Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) — The BSWM shall provide the initial soil mixture/potting medium for the identified communal garden and demo farm. The Bureau may also provide resource persons for the training on composting.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) — The BFAR shall provide fingerlings (including feeds for the first cycle and training) for any possible aquaponics site and technology demonstration on fish value-adding.

FOS-FPCMD, FOS-SPCMAD, and Office of the High Value Crops and Rural Credit (HVCRC) — The FOS-FPCMD, FOS-SPCMAD, and HVCRC shall conduct a monthly monitoring of the project and shall continue even beyond the three-month implementation period of the DA-UAPPSM in the barangay. In addition, the FOS shall be in charge of the geotagging of the identified sites.

Planning and Monitoring Service (PMS) — The PMS, through the Investment Programming Division (IPD) will facilitate the endorsement of the program to the NEDA to enroll in the National Priority Plan (NPP). The NPP is a list of Program/Project/Activity (PPAs) in education, health, youth and sports development, human settlements, science and culture, and economic development of which donation/s made by private institutions/organizations are eligible to be enrolled in the program and are entitled to full tax deductibility.

The PMS, through the Monitoring and Evaluation Division (MED), shall be in charge of conducting the sustainability and social impact of the project including the development of appropriate tools.

Project Development Service (PDS) — The PDS shall provide technical assistance for the further enhancement of the program.

Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) — the AMAS shall facilitate the market linkage of the beneficiaries to the potential buyers. This shall be sustained even beyond the three-month implementation period of the DA-UAPPSM in the Barangay.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) — the BAI shall provide technical assistance, specifically on providing livelihood trainings to the beneficiaries.

Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division (AFID) — the AFID shall be responsible on the reproduction of advocacy materials for the DA-UAPPSM. It shall also be responsible for the photo and video documentations of the program and its related activities. EHaASD

General Services Division (GSD) — The GSD shall provide hauling services to transport the DA's inputs such as the soil mix, gourmix, mushroom kits, etc., whenever needed.

Lastly, the DA shall coordinate with the DSWD and the beneficiaries in this regard for the smooth complementation of the feeding component with existing feeding programs of the beneficiaries.

SECTION 8. Roles and Responsibilities of the Beneficiaries. —

1. Submit letter of intent endorsed by the Local Chief Executive addressed to the Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns;

2. Provide a document stating that the lot to be used for the program is available for at least 3 years;

3. Provide and identify areas for the communal garden, manpower, water and electricity;

4. Provide farm inputs for the succeeding cycles and other needed resources of the garden in order to give continuous support and maintain sustainability of the program;

5. Replicate/establish additional communal gardens in other barangays;

6. Designate a minimum of three individuals to act as farm managers to care, monitor and manage the entire garden/site;

7. Provide honorarium/allowance to the designated farm managers (if needed);

8. Adhere to the proper waste disposal requirements as per RA 9003; and

9. Submit monthly and year-end accomplishment report to the DA-Office for Special Concerns.

SECTION 9. Nursery Site Selection and Establishment. —

The proposed site shall be deemed qualified upon meeting the following requirements:

Technical Requirements

1. At least 400-500 sqm. vacant lot or in its absence, container gardening equivalent to about 150-200 sqm.; (Note: 400sqm-500sqm may be a sum of the area of various lots within the specified site)

2. Availability of water and power supply;

3. Accessibility to urban dwellers; and

4. Should neither be a flood nor drought prone area.

Procedures

1. Beneficiary shall submit Letter of Intent to the DA Office for Special Concerns;

2. Upon submission of letter of intent, representatives from the TWG shall conduct an initial meeting with the Beneficiary;

3. Members who conducted the initial meeting shall make a recommendation to the team;

4. Recommended site/s shall be visited by the team of the DA-UAPPSM for validation and evaluation;

5. The Beneficiaries shall create their own team, as the co-implementers of the program;

6. The DA-UAPPSM Team and the (Beneficiaries) Team shall conduct meetings prior to the implementation of the program.

7. The DA-UAPPSM Team and the counterpart Beneficiaries Team shall prepare the schedule of activities;

8. Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement by and among the DA Secretary, Local Chief Executive and other proponents of the program, including the private sector, if any; and

9. Establishment of communal garden/model farm, crop museum and the conduct of intensive trainings;

10. After the establishment of the garden, the team from the DA-UAPPSM shall conduct monthly monitoring of the sites; and

11. The monitoring teams shall submit monthly and annual monitoring reports.

SECTION 10. Documentation, Monitoring and Evaluation. —

An appropriate monitoring and evaluation scheme will be developed to monitor program implementation, identify problems and enable the program implementers to institute corrective measures when necessary. The M&E will also evaluate the impact of the program.

All established communal gardens shall be geo-tagged and their accomplishments, impacts and success stories shall be documented by the Team. DaIAcC

SECTION 11. Effectivity. —

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately upon signing and shall supersede other issuances that are inconsistent herewith.

APPROVED:

(SGD.) EMMANUEL F. PIÑOLSecretary

Footnotes

1. https://www.theaquaponicsource.com/what-is-aquaponics/

2. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hydroponics