Guidelines in Implementation of DA's Urban Agriculture-Pagkain para sa Masa Program

April 27, 2017

DA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 05-17

 

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 adaption 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. —

Generally, 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. HTcADC

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 LGUs, CSOs, SUCs advocates/practitioners organizations, 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;

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. 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.

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

c. 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.

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

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

f. Urban agriculture refers to the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around a village or city including animal husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry and horticulture.

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

h. 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, as the name implies, 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 piloting in the National Capital Region. The activity provides seminars/trainings, IEC materials and initial inputs such as seedlings and soil media for urban gardening.

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 of 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 propagation in an urban setting and supply them with start-up mushroom kits, subject to the availability of the same in the BPI Mushroom Lab. aScITE

The BPI shall conduct trainings and demonstrations in the recipient LGU 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.

The DA shall coordinate with the DSWD and LGU in this regard for the smooth complementation of the feeding component with existing feeding programs of the recipient LGU.

SECTION 5. Timeframe. —

All activities, trainings, demonstrations, presentations and distribution of inputs shall be performed within a three-month period reckoned from the date of signing of the MOA/MOU. However, monitoring and assistance in providing market links shall continue beyond this period.

SECTION 6. 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

Partnership among the Department of Agriculture, Private Sectors, Local Government Units (LGUs), Peoples' Organization (POs), NGOs and other government offices will be established to further expand the implementation, promotion and development of all the components of DA-UAPPSM.

a. Criteria for Private Sector Partner (PSP)

• The PSP must be:

- SEC/DTI registered

- Advocating agriculture-related endeavors

- In operation for at least 3 years

b. Criteria for People's Organization (PO)

• The PO must be:

- Duly registered

- Endorsed by the LGU

The POs, NGOs, and other organizations shall be subject to the governing laws, rules, and regulations for accreditation.

3. Establishment of Communal Garden and Crop Museum

The DA thru ATI-BPI alongside the LGUs 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. DETACa

4. Skills Development

The identified participants of LGUs will undergo training on skills development. Topics will be based on the specific needs of the identified sites.

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/MOU shall indicate the extent of contribution of each partner with respect to this.

SECTION 7. Composition of DA-UAPPSM Team and their Responsibilities. —

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

Composition of Urban Agriculture-Pagkain Para Sa Masa (UA-PPSM) Team

Chair	Undersecretary for Special Concerns	Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns
Vice-Chair	Director	ATI
Vice-Chair	Director	BPI
Members/Coordinators:	Support Staffs	ATI
		BPI
		FOS
		AMAS
		BAFS
		NNC
		NDA
		PCA
		BFAR
		BSWM
		DSWD
		BAI
		Private Sectors

II. n  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DA, ITS OFFICES AND ATTACHED AGENCIES

Within a three-month period reckoned from the date of signing of the MOA/MOU, 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 with private partners that can supplement the DA's inputs to the DA-UAPPSM. In this case, the DA-Special Concerns shall endeavor to provide the Barangay with a hydroponics/aquaponics system from one of the DA's private partners. This Office shall also see to it that all charitable contributions and donations from the private sector are properly incorporated in the DA-UAPPSM. HEITAD

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.

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 soil mixture for the demo farm.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) — The BFAR shall provide technical assistance on value-adding for fish and fingerlings (fish processing technical assistance).

Field Operations Service (FOS) — The FOS shall evaluate the sustainability and social impact of the project including the development of the appropriate tools. The monitoring of the project shall continue beyond the three-month implementation period of the DA-UAPPSM in the barangay.

Planning and Monitoring Service (PMS) — the PMS shall endorse to the appropriate government agency the private partners, if any, for their charitable contributions and donations so the latter can avail of tax deductions.

Agricultural Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) — the AMAS shall provide market links to those beneficiaries who are willing to market their products. This duty shall subsist beyond the three-month implementation period of the DA-UAPPMP in the Barangay. aDSIHc

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) — the BAI shall see to it that it can incorporate its basic mandate to all existing and future endeavors of the DA-UAPPSM, subject to BAFS standards and established Good Animal Husbandry Practices.

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

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.

The DA shall also involve other government agencies including but not limited to the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in the DA-UAPPSM and consider their suggestions and recommendations for the betterment of the program. The NNC and PCA may also conduct presentations and demonstrations within the duration of the DA-UAPPSM (3 months) to advance their respective advocacies.

SECTION 8. Nursery Site Selection and Establishment. —

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

Technical Requirements

1. At least 500 sq. m. vacant lot or in its absence, container gardening equivalent to about 200 sq. m.;

2. Availability of water and power supply;

3. Accessibility to urban dwellers;

4. Should neither be a flood nor drought prone area and not near any garbage areas; and

5. Peace and order situation.

Administrative Requirements

1. Willingness of the host LGU to provide counterpart support for the implementation of the program;

2. Letter of Intent by the target beneficiaries endorsed by the Local Chief Executive to the Office of Undersecretary for Special Concerns;

3. Adherence of the host LGU in proper waste disposal requirements as per RA 9003; and

4. List of target beneficiaries (beneficiaries would be established POs, NGOs and other cooperatives preferably SEC Registered), lay-out of proposed site. ATICcS

Procedures

1. The DA-UAPPSM Team shall evaluate the short-listed proposed sites.

2. The Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns will endorse the proposed site/s to the DA Secretary for approval.

3. Upon the approval of the DA Secretary, the Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns shall send a letter of approval to the Local Chief Executive;

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

5. The DA-UAPPSM Team and the LGU Team shall conduct meetings prior to the implementation of the program.

6. The DA-UAPPSM Team and the counterpart LGU Team shall plan the schedule of activities;

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

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

SECTION 9. 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.

SECTION 10. Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement. —

The Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement between the DA and the LGU relative to the implementation of this program shall be subject to the provisions of the Organic Agriculture Act and Eco-solid Waste Management Act as well as existing administrative rules and regulations. ETHIDa

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

n Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official copy. Missing item I.