Philippines: Passi City farmers benefit from DA’s solar-powered greenhouse project
Source: HD.com
The P2.85 million greenhouse facility was established in Barangay Sablagon through the Department of Agriculture Western Visayas, and funding via the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP), aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive on food accessibility through sustainable, climate-resilient community gardens in urban areas. The 1,500-square-meter facility is equipped with hydroponic and drip fertigation systems powered by solar energy.
It was constructed on a usufruct lot provided by the Passi City government and is managed by the 39-member Gines Viejo Farmers Association, composed largely of backyard vegetable growers. The association expects the facility to eventually produce about 100 kilograms of sweet pepper and 50 to 70 kilograms of cherry tomatoes per harvest cycle, with harvests running approximately for three months.
Farmer-members were also trained in greenhouse production techniques, particularly hydroponics and drip fertigation, to improve efficiency and crop management under controlled growing conditions. The turnover of the greenhouse facility from the Department of Agriculture to the farmers' association was held on April 28 and was attended by local officials.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
