NUEVA Vizcaya will get a boost in ginger production with the Department of Agriculture (DA) providing P4 million to establish a nursery in the highlands of Santa Fe.
“The facility is expected to be inaugurated in December and is projected to help boost the province’s competitiveness in ginger production while supporting the DA’s broader agenda of increasing high-value crop output,” said Carol Albay of the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program.
To help farmers adapt to the effects of climate change, Albay said the DA will also provide five rain shelters.
“The structures are designed to protect crops from extreme weather conditions and improve farm productivity," Albay said.
She said that the DA has also allocated P2.6 million for the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (Nupap), which promotes community gardens, household food production, and other innovative farming systems in urban and peri-urban communities.
“The initiative is also part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to strengthen local food systems, expand food accessibility, and involve communities as partners in achieving food sufficiency,” Albay said.
She also emphasized that the Nupap allocation aims to expand spaces where food can be grown outside traditional farmlands — in community gardens, household plots, and other localized production areas.
The DA is also developing additional interventions for Nueva Vizcaya’s coffee sector, beyond its current work on ginger and urban farming.
The province accounts for nearly half of the Cagayan Valley region’s coffee production, making it a major contributor to the regional output.
Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Jose Gambito acknowledged the DA’s sustained support for the province, stating that the allocation for a ginger nursery in Santa Fe, the provision of rain shelters, and funding for the Nupap will further strengthen agricultural development in the province.
He added that the projects are intended to create more opportunities for farmers and local communities by expanding planting materials, improving crop protection, and increasing spaces for food production.
“We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture for recognizing the potential of Nueva Vizcaya and for continuously supporting our farmers and agricultural programs," Gambito said. "This assistance will further boost our efforts to make agriculture more productive, sustainable, and beneficial to our communities."
He said that the funding support from the DA signals an emphasis on modernizing agriculture, with the projects positioned to support the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of a Philippines where farms that can withstand shocks, and improve yields, and food remains within reach.
“From the ginger nursery in Santa Fe to community gardens in urban areas, the P6.6 million allocation means more planting materials for growers, expand spaces for food production, and give our communities in Nueva Vizcaya more options for agriculture,” Gambito said.
