Villar promotes mushrooms, orchids cultivation and production as alternative livelihood options

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar firmly believes that there are plenty of livelihood alternatives that are available for Filipinos, especially the impoverished and underprivileged, to help them augment their incomes and improve the quality of their lives.

Villar, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, has noted that two viable income-generating ventures are mushroom cultivation and production, and orchids cultivation, cacti and succulents grafting and propagation, which can easily be adopted both by working and non-working individuals.

'There is an array of alternative revenue-enhancing opportunities that can help us add money to our pockets. We cannot rely solely on job openings, which, as it is today, are insufficient and hard to find,' Villar, an avid advocate of people empowerment through self-reliance, said before participants who attended a livelihood opportunity training program offered by the Villar SIPAG.

Villar added: 'Self-reliance is the key to sustainable development because we only have ourselves to rely on if we want to make our lives better. But to achieve this, we need to step out of our comfort zones, explore openings and grab the options that are available to us. Being self-reliant sufficient are the two most important steps toward success.'

Villar made the encouraging remarks before an audience of more than 100 individuals who participated in a training program on mushroom culture and cultivation technology, and orchids cultivation, cacti and succulents grafting and propagation recently held at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor City, Cavite and in BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City, respectively.

The Villar SIPAG partnered with the Bureau of Plant Industry for the one-day mushroom cultivation training, which briefed participants on the basic principles and techniques in mushroom cultivation and existing mushroom technologies.

Participants were likewise taught the complete cycle of mushroom cultivation from culture production to mushroom production with management strategies, and basic mushroom culture technology that can be applied to many kinds of mushrooms.

They also had hands-on demonstration on isolation of mushroom tissue, grain spawn inoculation, fruiting bag spawning, volvariella bedding/planting, and casing of milky mushroom bags.

On the other hand, a separate one-day training was also conducted where participants learned the proper methodologies on orchid cultivation and cacti and succulents grafting and propagation, and innovative production, management and marketing methods to help them jumpstart small orchids and related businesses.

The Villar SIPAG offered the training in partnership with the Philippine Orchid Society.

Villar said mushroom cultivation is a promising small-scale business venture because of the short cultivation period for mushrooms. On top of this, she added, it will enhance food security since mushrooms are nutritious food alternatives for daily consumption.

Similarly, Villar said orchid cultivation is another livelihood alternative because of its promising economic future.

'At this time when businesses adapt to the evolving and modern lifestyle of the people, we need to be creative and adventurous. Opportunities abound. We should not let our chances pass. Let us take advantage of what is available and within reach to us,' Villar said as she reiterated her commitment to help make the lives of Filipinos better.

'I will always be your willing partner in progress and sustainable development. I will hold your hand and walk with you in our continuing fight against poverty,' Villar said.