Sen. Loren Legarda on Saturday expressed support for Vice President Leni Robredo’s nutrition program that aims to help the small farmers increase their income.

Legarda praised the program, under which small farmers would plant the crops required for feeding programs.

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It is a convergence program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“I believe in the advocacy of improving the nutritional needs of our children,” Legarda said in statement. “I am glad that the OVP has this program and it should be supported by the whole bureaucracy.”

Robredo said the program had been successful in increasing the income of very small farmers.

In her district in Naga, she said, the average income of small farmers increased from P1,800 a month to P6,000 to P8,000 a month.

“This is a good example of inclusive growth – the government addresses the needs of one sector, which is our schoolchildren, through the support of another sector, which is our small farmers, who also benefit through improved income,” Legarda said. “I hope this could be replicated in all parts of the country, especially in areas with high malnutrition incidence.”

The senator said that local government units with exemplary nutrition program should be made models for other LGUs to replicate, especially those with a high incidence of malnutrition.

“We have so much unutilized funds which could be used to address the concerns of poor, far-flung areas,” Legarda said. “The inputs from the OVP would be very helpful in reminding the concerned government agency of the needs of those communities.”

Legarda urged the OVP to strengthen collaboration with other government agencies to further boost its anti-poverty programs. /atm

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