Happy Compromise: Solar Farms With Greenhouse Hydroponic High-Value Vegetable Production!

After another quick trip to Cabiao, Nueva Ecija last Monday and once again seeing the vast tracks of idle land, I called up my friend, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, to consider a unique project which would generate Solar Power while producing High-Value Vegetables through hydroponics in Agrarian Reform Communities.

Conrad’s reaction was an enthusiastic “Yes.”

He immediately acce0ted my proposal to visit to the French Reunion Island where the working model of Greenhouses under Solar Panels was first adopted.

I had to call up Sec. Estrella to propose the Pilot Project for Solar Farm-cum-High Value Vegetable Production because, being a private Agriculture Advocate, I do not have the resources to actualize all of my ideas.

High-Value Vegetable Farming through hydroponics is not new to the country.

In fact, a few months before I resigned as Secretary of Agriculture in June of 2019, I launched the South Korean government-funded Smart Greenhouse in Baguio City in February of the same year.

The idea of a Smart Greenhouse producing High-Value Vegetables came rushing back to my mind as I gazed at the thousands of hectares of unused Agricultural lands in the immediate vicinity of Mt. Arayat during my visit last Monday.

The rich and fertile lands are now target of Solar Power Generation Companies whose projects, while admittedly crucial to generating power for the needs of the country, threaten Food Security.

My suggestion to Sec. Estrella was to build a model farm where Solar Power Generation will be merged with High-Value Vegetable Production or even Sheep Production.

(Sheep is preferred over Goats in the Solar-Farm cum Livestock Proposal because Sheep are grazers while Goats are browsers and climbers.)

First, it will be in the Agrarian Reform Communities where beneficiaries are still wallowing in poverty because they are not properly guided on how to make their land productive.

Then the thousands of hectares of Lahar-covered areas in Central Luzon where the dominant vegetation is comprised of “Talahib” could be the next target.

When implemented, the country does not have to rely on imported high-value vegetables such as cherry tomatoes and lettuce.

The good news is that Sec. Estrella has taken up my challenge vowing that as soon his doctors give him clearance, he will lead a technical team to visit the French Reunion Island to see the happy and profitable combination of Solar Power Generation and high-value vegetable farming.

The best news is that he has invited me to join the team.😀

Reunion, nous voilà🍅

GovernanceIsCommonSense!

InspirationPlusPerspiration!

-30-