TACLOBAN CITY – Far from the spotlight, local government units have adopted novel programs to reduce hunger in their respective localities, programs that are worth replicating.

In Palompon, Leyte, the LGU has “Binhi Sa Kaugmaon — Planting Hope, Growing Futures for a Hunger-Free Community,” its flagship food security program.

Launched in 2022, the program has transformed what began as a seed distribution initiative into a full community movement built on one uncompromising philosophy: Walang Gutom, Walang Aksaya — No Hunger, Nothing Wasted.

The program provides community-based seedling distribution, continuous crop-specific training and financial literacy through its Farmers Field and Business School, and direct market access through Tabo sa Barangay and Kadiwa sa Poblacion — eliminating middlemen and ensuring farmers are paid fairly for every harvest.

The program has over 1,200 household participants, with 49 SLP-funded associations and 58 local vendors and growers engaged across the municipality's barangays.

Following the circular economy model, biodegradable market waste is collected and converted through a bioreactor machine into organic soil conditioner and fertilizer, then returned to farmers at no cost — resulting in higher yields, lower input costs, and healthier soil.

Now, food insecurity in Palompon stands at 32.6% — below the provincial average. Poverty incidence has dropped from 19.8% in 2022 to 17.6% in 2024, despite the rise in the national poverty threshold from P12,030 to P13,873 over the same period.

In Baybay City, the city agriculture office invested P35 million in 2024 in agricultural and biosystems engineering (P12.5 million), coastal programs (P8 million), and livestock (P4.4 million).

The city’s agricultural sector is now thriving with 233 abaca growers, 452 fruit tree cultivators, and 216 corn farmers. Jackfruit growers also increased by 13.85% from 2023 to 2024, spanning 69 barangays.

Last year, farmers adopting Climate-Smart and Integrated Crop Management in Baybay City saw a 216% average increase in vegetable productivity.

In Arteche, Eastern Samar, the LGU has the One Barangay, One Gulay Program, which aims to empower families and communities through sustainable vegetable production, ensuring accessible and nutritious food sources while encouraging active community participation.

The initiative has become a model of collaboration among local government units, barangay officials, farmers, and residents.

The three LGUs were recently cited as among the top 10 in the Walang Gutom Awards, an initiative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Galing Pook Foundation, which recognizes outstanding anti-hunger programs implemented by LGUs.