Technology assures Leyte lettuce growers of good harvest

TACLOBAN City – A team of farmers here is reaping the advantages of modern-day farming employing an clever environmentally friendly box, making sure quality harvest of substantial-value crops irrespective of the time.

As a result of indoor farming, the 32-member La Granja Farmers and Agriventures Association has been harvesting at minimum 180 kilograms of fresh new lettuce weekly for the necessity of higher-conclude dining establishments in this metropolis and some components of Samar.

“We are assured of steady source regardless of what arrives. I am giving our potential buyers secure, clean, and wholesome food. This is a really great know-how,” stated Martina Reyna, farmer owner of La Granja based in Diit village right here, on Thursday.

Dubbed the Smart Inexperienced Box (IGB), it is a vertical farming technique of cultivating plants stacked upwards, inside utilized container vans, getting less place than standard farming.

Since this process usually takes up less assets these kinds of as water and land, it then turns into a possible remedy for good cities, in accordance to the Office of Science and Technological know-how (DOST).

“In conditions of top quality, there’s a large amount of advancement because the temperature, humidity, and lights are managed,” Reyna advised the Philippine News Company (PNA) through the farm pay a visit to of important DOST officials.

“We be expecting that this engineering will support Japanese Visayas accomplish foods safety regardless of the actuality that the region faces the brunt of solid storms just about every 12 months,” DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña claimed.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla claimed the technologies will stimulate the younger generation to go after modern day farming.

“We have to have to make this technological know-how readily available for our younger era to respect it. This will absolutely deal with poverty and boost the wellness situation of our kids,” Petilla explained.

The 20-footer container van has been cultivating 860 lettuce vegetation since it was set up previous September 2021 in partnership with the DOST, Leyte provincial government, Eastern Visayas Point out University, and the farmers’ group.

“In the earlier, our lettuce vegetation have been uncovered to serious heat and pests. The top quality was not that superior, and the price was only PHP200 for each kilogram. With indoor farming, we can now promote our lettuce at PHP400 for each kilogram,” Reyna included.

The IGB technological innovation optimizes indoor farming techniques suited to the problems of the area and will allow the escalating of substantial-benefit crops in a local weather-managed environment.

The job is part of DOST’s iSTART (Innovation, Science, and Technological innovation Accelerating Regional Technological innovation-Centered Progress) software exactly where nearby governing administration models are assisted in producing a technology-based mostly advancement program for agri-primarily based, producing, and products and services sectors. Leyte is one particular of the pilot provinces in this endeavor.

Through iSTART, DOST will appeal to Metro Manila inhabitants and other very urbanized locations to return to their provinces of origin or invest in new enterprises and other science and engineering undertakings. (PNA)