The Department of Agriculture said Thursday that the newly unveiled projects in Bataan is a step towards ensuring food security and increasing revenue for farmers.

DA turned over Php5,000,000, under the Enhanced Kadiwa Fund, for the establishment of a permanent Kadiwa site in the municipality of Limay.

The project, which includes a cost of P1 million in trading capital, will benefit 28 farmers' cooperatives and associations with a total of 3,826 members.

“A permanent KADIWA store in Limay promises affordable, fresh, and safe food for local consumers while providing farmers with increased income opportunities. However, this is just the beginning: more initiatives are needed to sustain this momentum,” said Laurel.

Moreover, an agreement among the DA, the local government unit of Limay, Bataan Peninsula State University, and Limay Polytechnic College was also inked for the launch of the Zero Kilometer Food Project — an initiative that promotes healthy eating with minimal cost and impact on the environment as it consumes locally-grown fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products.

It kicked off last year in the towns of Hermosa and Dinalupihan in the said province.

“Implementing this concept at the grassroots level within municipalities is where its true impact lies. It addresses the critical issue of food supply and demand at the local level, echoing concerns that resonate at the provincial and national levels,” said Laurel, describing the government's actions as a ‘grassroots approach’ to fostering a “deeper understanding, better planning, and effective management of our food systems.”

“By promoting agriculture at the barangay level, we create efficient systems that ensure food reaches consumers without delay, nutrient loss, cost overruns, price manipulation, or unnecessary intermediaries. This, in turn, lays the groundwork for data-driven interventions aimed at meeting local needs and exploring export opportunities,” he added.

Moreover, the agriculture chief also helped launch Limay Invests for Farmers’ Triumph, a collaboration between the Limay LGU and private sector partners like MENSCH Fil-Am Corp. and the DA’s High-Value Crops Development Program to aid farmers by providing them with interest-free loans.

Meanwhile, a drip-fertigation system was also unveiled at Anthony Villanueva Farm, which uses water enriched with soluble fertilizers and micronutrients and is delivered to crops using drip irrigation to enhance their quality and yield. According to DA, the system was also adopted by 1Bataan Farms in Dinalupihan.

Laurel said the application of these modern farming techniques “underscores the importance of science-based methods in Philippine agriculture.”