TESDA inaugurates its first urban Aqua Farm
The first Urban Aqua Farm of the the Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA) has been inaugurated in its compound in Taguig City on March 15.
TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña said the project signifies the importance of "farming in our urban areas, particularly to our marginalized sectors who can make farming as a source of their livelihood even if they are living in the city, without going to the remote farming areas."
"For this Urban Aqua model Farm, we only need an area of more than 70 square meters to establish a fish farm that can help feed a family. This program is definitely aligned with TESDA’s thrust of global competitiveness, social equity and poverty reduction for the Filipinos," he said in a statement.
TESDA said the Urban Aqua Farm was established under the concept of aquaculture—or the breeding, nurturing and harvesting of fish and other aquatic organisms.
Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and/or saltwater populations under controlled conditions and can be compared with commercial fishing or harvesting of fish in open waters like seas and lakes.
The said Aqua Farm is built with one main fountain responsible for the water circulation and other surrounding “mini-fountains” to regulate the temperature, humidity and moisture of the water to ensure the optimal condition of the fish.
TESDA-MuntiParLasTaPat District Director Marichelle De Guzman said the Urban Aqua Farm will cultivate different species of tilapia which are relatively easier to harvest and with good growth rate.
Water cabbage, lotus and water grass (isay) will be grown inside the pool to help oxygenate the pond to keep the fish healthy, she said.
TESDA said various plant crops such as Chinese malunggay, eggplant, okra, tomatoes, bell pepper, chili (siling labuyo, siling panigang and siling demonyo), lemon, calamansi and passion fruit have also been planted around the farm.
Ornamental plants will also be grown such as Araucaria, Tabebuia, Duranta, Santan, Sampaguita and Yellow Bell.
Lapeña announced that the MuntiParLasTaPat District Training and Assessment Center (MDTAC) will soon register Urban Aqua Farming under the No Training Regulation (NTR) as additional qualification on its course offerings.
The Urban Aqua Farm was conceptualized through the TESDA-MuntiParLasTaPat District Office in line with Lapeña’s directive to showcase greening of technical-vocational education and training.