BANGUED, Abra (PIA) -- Communities in Abra were able to buy fresh and affordable vegetables from Benguet and Mountain Province through the Kadiwa on Wheels.

This initiative of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in partnership with the Abra Vegetable Seed Growers Development Cooperative (AVSECO) aims to bring quality and low-cost food to the public while helping local farmers sell their products. 

Estrelia Baga, a farmer leader from Lipcan in Bangued, is thankful to fellow farmers in Benguet for sharing their produce,  and to the AVSECO for wheeling the vegetables from Baguio to the province. 

“Dakkel nga yamin mi ti daytoy nga Kadiwa ta very convenient kanyami ta daytoy ket inmay da inyeg ditoy Abra ken hankami payen nga mapan idiay tiendahan nga gumatang, [We are very thankful to the Kadiwa for bringing it to Abra, making it is very convenient for us. We do not have to go to the market to buy] ” she said.

Romar Santos of the Pulot National High School in Lagayan also appreciated the initiative of the DA to bring vegetables that are reasonably priced. 

“Pagyamanan mi daytoy nga initiative ti DA kas ti panagpabingay da ti nalaklaka nga supply ti nat-nateng which is a very big help kasi nangina talaga ti nateng nga magatang tatta nu mapan ka iti tiendaan. Gapu ta impatulud da itoy ket talaga nga malakaan kami, [We are grateful to DA’s initiative of sharing vegetables that are cheaper, which is a very big help because prices of vegetables in the market are expensive. They even brought it here]” he shared.

Aside from government offices and farmers groups, the Kadiwa on Wheels also served residents of Barangay Cosili East and other nearby barangays in Bangued including the adjacent municipalities of Tayum and Peñarrubia. 

Tessie Beleno from Maoay, Bangued traveled to Cosili East to buy at least 50 kilos of cabbage and Chinese cabbage at cheaper prices.

 “Agyaman kami ti dagitoy vegetables nga immay da indanon ditoy ken ti price da nga affordable especially kadagiti tattao nga padak nga marigrigat [We are thankful for these vegetables that they delivered here and the prices are also affordable especially for us who less fortunate],” she said.

 Stakeholders are again looking forward to another activity, not only to avail of fresh vegetables at reasonable prices, but also to help fellow farmers sell their produce.

“Agipre-prepare tayo manen ti sumaruno nga panangiyeg ti DA ti gulay nga nagapu ti Benguet ken Mountain Province nga kas tulong tayo met ti kakabsat tayo nga mannalon, [We are again preparing for the next delivery of vegetables from Benguet and Mountain Province as our support to our farmers]” said Jerome Baay, who coordinated the Kadiwa market in their barangay.

Agricultural Program Coordinating Office Head Rosemarie Tesoro thanked partners and buyers who participated in the one-day Kadiwa on Wheels. 

“A total of seven tons of cabbage and Chinese cabbage were delivered to government agencies such as the DepEd, NCIP, University of Abra, and the Provincial Government of Abra including those that were sold to farmers groups and residents in Cosili East and other areas,” she shared. 

The Kadiwa on Wheels is one of the efforts of the DA under  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the growing problem of inflation by bringing affordable food to communities while boosting farmers’ income. (JJPM, PIA-CAR, Abra)