The La Castellana local government unit (LGU) in Negros Occidental is helping farmers displaced by the Mt. Kanlaon eruption to sell their crops to sustain their livelihood while they remain in evacuation centers.
As of Thursday, January 16, farmers have sold various high-value crops, including cabbage, beans, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, pechay, radishes, and sweet potatoes.
Jeramae Salapante, La Castellana’s officer-in-charge municipal agriculturist, said farmers were allowed limited access to their farms following approval from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). They harvested their crops during designated hours and brought them to market.
“They were able to harvest and bring down their produce, and we helped them sell it. This way, they can sell at better prices and earn more income,” Salapante said during the Philippine Information Agency Hour over the province’s Radyo Negrense.
She said the month of December was the peak harvest season for high-value commercial crops cultivated by farmers in the upland barangays of Masulog, Cabagna-an, Mansalanao, and Sag-ang.
Days after the volcanic eruption, the OCD allowed internally-displaced persons with essential activities inside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) to enter the area from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. only.
“The LGU provided the farmers with a truck pass for vehicles to enter the restricted area and haul the farm products. We also certified that the purpose of the farmers is to harvest their crops,” Salapante said.
She said they revived the trading center beside the Municipal Agriculture Office, where the farmers can bring their produce and sell to customers, including the local market vendors and food managers of community kitchens in evacuation centers.
“The food consumed by the IDPs is also product of IDP farmers,” Salapante said.
The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office also purchased the farmers’ produce in bulk to be supplied to household-beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom: Food Stamp Program being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Salapante said they also linked with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Marketing Division in selling the farmers’ produce online to employees of the provincial government.
Latest data of La Castellana Incident Management Team showed 4,312 individuals or 1,410 families from five villages are still staying in six evacuation centers in the municipality. (PNA)