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Showing posts with the label Villar SIPAG Foundation

Villar SIPAG farm schools spur growth of urban agriculture

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As many people stay inside their homes in compliance with government measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases, people has turned to home gardening as a way to stay productive while passing time. Sen. Cynthia Villar, advocate of urban gardening, couldn’t be more pleased with this development and referred to the blossoming of home agriculture as one of the positive outcomes brought about by the quarantine measures. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), built farm schools in Las Pinas and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, to promote agriculture in urban areas. The first Villar SIPAG farm school inaugurated in 2015 is located in a 4-hectare lot in the boundary of Las PiƱas City and Bacoor. The San Jose Del Monte Farm School, which opened in October 2016, sits in a 4-hectare land in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Both schools have training areas,  dormitories, f...

Villar: Practice sustainable aquaculture

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FISH farmers need to learn the ropes on responsible and sustainable aquaculture to ensure abundant fish production meet rapidly growing fish demand all over the country and address food security, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar said. Villar noted the speedy expansion of the aquaculture industry has compounding environmental problems caused by climate change, callous governance and irresponsible fish farming practices. "Aquaculture, or fish farming, is essential in the government's poverty and food security campaign. It is important that we ensure aquaculture sustainability so we can continuously meet the fish demand of our country's growing population," said Villar, who is the chairperson of two key Senate panels - the committees on agriculture and food security, and the  environment and natural resources. In 2017, aquaculture registered 2.24 million metric tons. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed seaweed harvests accelerated in Sulu and Tawi-T...