DA

SOUTH KOREA has assisted in the construction of smart greenhouses in Iloilo, in what is being pitched as a climate-change mitigation measure, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

The DA and the Korea Agency of Education, Promotion and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (EPIS) constructed 10 such greenhouses, which will be used to boost mushroom and tomato production and that of other high-value crops.

The greenhouses went up at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Jaro, Iloilo.

“Changing weather patterns resulting in unusually warmer temperatures or heavy rainfall have caused an imbalance in the production of agricultural commodities,” the DA said in a statement.

“Through time, the threat of climate change has caused alarm to the food production sector, not only in the Philippines but throughout the world. And so, innovative and smart technologies are now being adapted to address these inevitable phenomena,” it added.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said that EPIS will continue to collaborate with the DA in future agricultural development and food productivity initiatives.

“This showcase manifests that new technologies are crucial in feeding the next generation. Smart technology and precision farming upgrade our productivity levels benefiting farmers and food producers,” Mr. Dar said in a statement.

“We have to have enough food, and I believe that this smart farming system is the best solution. Smart greenhouses are forward-looking, and will surely elevate the food production here in our country,” he added.

EPIS will provide assistance in agriculture digitalization, particularly in the establishment and implementation of a centralized system for the DA.

Apart from Iloilo, 11 more smart greenhouses will be built in Bukidnon for strawberries, potato seedlings, and tomatoes. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

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