This aims to expand vegetable production and teach students modern farming technologies.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is targeting to have 700 greenhouses under the Agri Tayo, Lab for All program.
In the first phase, 200 schools will be provided with greenhouses, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, as well as the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), launching the project at Las Piñas National High School and Parañaque National High School.
Two units each were installed at both schools to expand the reach to more students and strengthen engagement with the community.
The initial phase will also cover schools in Metro Manila and the provinces of Cavite, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Pampanga, and Masbate, which will receive one hydroponics greenhouse facility each.
The hydroponics technology uses nutrient-rich water to grow plants without the need for soil and saves up to 90 percent of water compared to traditional farming, according to Angara.
This program is also part of the strengthening of DepEd’s Gulayan sa Paaralan Program, especially in the face of challenges in food security and climate change.
“Malaking ambag ang hydroponics project upang gawing mas makabago at episyente ang pagtatanim ng gulay sa ating mga paaralan. Not all schools have adequate space or fertile soil. Kaya mahalaga ang inisyatibang ito dahil nagiging posible ang Gulayan sa Paaralan Program kahit limitado ang espasyo,” he said.
Furthermore, the Education chief noted: “Napakainam din nito sa pagtitipid ng tubig. Hydroponics uses 90% less water than traditional farming, making it a critical buffer against climate extremes like Super El Niño. Higit pa rito, mas mapapalawak natin ang kaalaman ng komunidad tungkol sa modernong pagsasaka.”
Aside from providing fresh vegetables for the DepEd School-Based Feeding Program, the greenhouses will also serve as practical laboratories and will teach plant care, water and nutrient utilization, and the process of photosynthesis.
The project’s benefits will also include training in Agri-Fishery Arts and agro-entrepreneurship for senior high school students, to develop their technical and vocational skills, according to DepEd.
The project was funded through the Social Environmental Fund, which is derived from reclamation projects overseen by the PRA.
