BANGA, AKlan – To further increase Aklan province’s food sufficiency efforts, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas recently turned over a P1-million greenhouse facility with hydroponics to the Aklan State University (ASU).
Using hydroponics technology, the greenhouse will enhance the productivity and competitiveness of farmers to produce year-round, high-quality high-value-added agricultural products in a climate-controlled space.
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants indoors without using any soil. Instead of pulling mineral nutrients needed for growth from the ground, plants get all of their nutrition through a nutrient solution supplied to their roots.
Fresh lettuce was the first greenhouse crop harvested from the greenhouse that benefited the ASU community and the local consumers in the province.
This greenhouse facility is part of the Bayanihan 2 project of the DA to provide sustainable, accessible, and affordable locally grown food, especially in this time of a pandemic.
During the project launch held in April, ASU president Dr. Emily Arangote mentioned rolling out the project to Aklanon farmers to increase their income and improve food sufficiency in the province.
DA regional executive director Remelyn Recoter underscored that in support of the One DA Reform Agenda thrust in modernizing the agriculture sector, DA Region 6 established six greenhouses with hydroponics facilities in Western Visayas to steer the productivity and competitiveness of farmers. (DA-6/PN)
