The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to expand its "White Revolution" initiative as part of efforts to modernize vegetable and high-value crop production and ensure a stable, year-round supply of affordable produce, following the approval of a higher budget for the agriculture sector this year.
In a press briefing, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the program focuses on the use of controlled-environment agriculture, including greenhouses, organized food corridors, and improved post-harvest facilities, to protect food production from the effects of extreme weather conditions such as El Niño and La Niña.
"The budget for greenhouses has been increased, so that will address the heavy rain and possible slight drought," Tiu Laurel said during a Palace press briefing on Thursday. He stressed that the expansion of greenhouse farming is essential to sustaining vegetable production despite climate-related challenges.
"So, we need more of this, which I call 'White Revolution,' and the full scale is actually 2027. We need more of this controlled atmosphere in greenhouses to be able to produce vegetables even through heavy rainfall or through lack of water," he said.
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