03 June 2019

TESDA Isabela along with its objective to contribute significantly in the attainment of Food Security and Sustainability in the province, it recently launched a program called MASAGANANG ISABELA.

The program pools together the efforts and resources of various agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Trade and Industry, State Universities and Local Government Units. The said program is an offshoot of the inter-agency meeting called upon by TESDA Isabela in order to craft the Isabela Agri-TVET Plan.

The program started with a trainers’ training where it involved 177 public school teachers who were trained in Organic Agriculture Production NC II. The training of these teachers were called PROJECT TROPA TI SIGA or Training in Organic Agriculture Production among Teacher Implementers of School in a Garden Program. The program aims empower teachers with the knowledge and skills in organic agriculture in order for them to be able to set-up and sustain an organic garden in their schools which later on its produce will be used for the schools’ feeding program. The organic garden in the school will also serve as models for the community in order to set-up their own backyard garden in their own residences.

Last May 23-25, 2019, the 177 public school teachers conducted a training in Organic Gardening in their respective schools which was participated in by barangay officials, teachers, parents, alumni and their own students. The total number of participants in the simultaneous trainings held were 10, 620.

“We appreciate the involvement of our fellow teachers, local officials, alumni and parents in the training we conducted. We are hopeful that the knowledge and skills they gained from us will be used by them in putting up and maintaining an organic garden in their own places.”, said by Ms. Shiela Manaligod, a teacher of Isabela National High School and one of the trainers.

As a support to the program, the Department of Agriculture provided vegetable seeds and seedlings to the different participating schools. Meanwhile, Local Government Unit Officials vowed to monitor and encourage their constituents to embrace organic gardening.

“It is our goal to make Isabela the center of agricultural skills training. It is for this reason that we aggressively encourage the opening of all TESDA agriculture programs in the province. Furthermore, it is our mission together with our partner agencies to attain food security and sustainability.”, this said by Demetrio P. Anduyan, Jr., TESDA Isabela Provincial Director.