Philippines: Aklan smart agri project begins production

A smart agriculture project in Aklan has begun commercial crop production, with its first harvest yielding nearly one metric ton of high-value vegetables as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) seek to modernize farming and improve farmers' incomes in Western Visayas.

The first harvest was marked during the inauguration of the Value Chain Enhancement of High Value Crops through Smart Agriculture (Vehcsa) Project's greenhouse facility at the Aklan Agri-Aqua Demonstration Farm and Training Center in Barangay Nalook, Kalibo, on Nov. 7. The Aklan facility is the first of four project sites to complete its greenhouse and begin production.

The other sites are in Tigbauan, Iloilo; Patnongon, Antique; and Bago City, Negros Occidental. For the first week of November, the facility scheduled the harvest of 454 kilograms of lettuce, 62 kilograms of bell peppers, and 414 kilograms of cherry tomatoes, with a combined projected yield of 930 kilograms.

By 2027, the greenhouse is expected to produce around 22,000 kilograms of lettuce, 11,700 kilograms of bell peppers, 14,300 kilograms of cherry tomatoes, and 4,100 kilograms of melons annually. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said investments in smart agriculture must translate into sustained improvements in farm productivity and farmers' earnings.

Read more at The Manila Times