LAOAG CITY, Dec 30 (PIA) -- A pre-dispersal training was conducted under the vegetable dispersal program of the Mariano Marcos State University which was attended by 26 teachers, students and parents on December 20.

The MMSU Extension program dubbed ‘Fighting CoVID with COVeG (Collaborative VEgetable Gardening) –Vegetable Dispersal Project’ was crafted as a response to food scarcity felt during the community lock downs in the province.

The pre-dispersal training held at the City of Batac National High School (CBNHS), Payao Campus, focused on the composting or vermicomposting of biowastes or the conversion of biodegradable wastes into organic fertilizer.

“For the practice of organic farming or crop and vegetable, instead of using chemical or synthetic fertilizer, it is better to use organic fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer is known to have many negative environmental and health impacts, even to the deterioration of soil quality. Thus, this project aims to produce our own organic fertilizer which is more eco-friendly and restores soil quality,” Dr. Floramante Pastor, trainer on vermicomposting, explained.

The CBNHS is the third beneficiary of this project. After the pre-dispersal training, vegetables, seedlings, and fertilizers were distributed to the teachers, students, and parents who attended.

Moreover, Dr. Aris Reynold Cajigal, Director of MMSU Extension Directorate said that COVeG project aims to ease the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns through sustainable food gardening.

“Marami sa atin ang naging plantitos and plantitas. Isa pa sa mga benepisyo ng COVeG ay ang pagtuturo sa paggawa ng gardens at mga gulayan. Hindi lang pisikal na benepisyo and naidudulot nito kundi na din sa physchological at mental. Sa pamamagitan din ng proyekto na ito, umaasa kami na ito ay magbibigay ng pag-asa na magkaroon ng supply [na makakain] na libre at masustansiyang pagkain para sa pamilya,” Cajigal shared. (JCR/EJFG with report from Shaina Robles, MMSU intern, PIA Ilococ Norte)