Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (center) stands alongside key stakeholders and SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla during the "From Farms to Classrooms: Nourishing Futures Together" dialogue. (Photo courtesy of DepEd Philippines)
BATANGAS, Philippines – The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Department of Education (DepEd) co-hosted a dialogue titled "From Farms to Classrooms: Nourishing Futures Together" on 26 March 2026, at Tangway Integrated School in Lipa City, Batangas. The event convened key stakeholders, including educators, agricultural cooperatives, and local policymakers, to explore the strategic integration of local agriculture into school nutrition programs.
In line with DepEd's efforts toward universal school feeding, the dialogue aimed to ensure the provision of safe, appropriate, and nutritious meals for all students. SEARCA's initiatives have demonstrated that fostering this farm-to-school connectivity can significantly improve children's long-term dietary habits. By establishing a direct link between local farmers and educational institutions, the program creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem that ensures diverse, balanced meals for students, secures stable markets for local agriculture, and educates children about sustainable food systems, thereby positioning farmers as essential partners in community health.
Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, delivers her opening remarks at the "From Farms to Classrooms: Nourishing Futures Together" dialogue.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, SEARCA Center Director, emphasized the essential link between child health and agricultural development. To operationalize this vision, the event introduced the "Healthy Plate" initiative. This visual educational tool is specifically designed to instill the foundational principles of balanced nutrition in Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners, which is a critical factor for their physical development and academic success.
From left: Dr. Liezl Atienza, SEARCA Consultant and UPLB-IHNF Director; Ms. Anna Gale Vallez, Program Specialist, RTLD, SEARCA; and Dr. Blesilda Calub, SEARCA-UPOU Course Coordinator for E-learning
Expanding upon this initiative, Dr. Liezl Atienza, SEARCA Consultant and Director of the UPLB Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the "Healthy Plate" framework. She provided an in-depth analysis of the specific dietary requirements of early learners and outlined a strategic roadmap for mapping local agricultural crops directly to schools' weekly menus. Furthermore, Atienza highlighted the distinct economic and logistical advantages of establishing direct supply chains between farmers and educational institutions.
The event also showcased the evolution of the School-plus-Home Gardens Project (S+HGP). Ms. Anna Gale Vallez, Program Specialist at SEARCA, provided a comprehensive overview of the program's successful rollout in Laguna, detailed its strategic scaling across neighboring provinces, and shared the framework for its broader institutionalization in other countries.
Complementing the discussion on gardening and crop production, Dr. Blesilda Calub, SEARCA-UPOU Course Coordinator, conducted a technical walk-through on advanced soil and plant nutrition. Her presentation focused on biofertilizers and eco-friendly pest control for localized farming, as well as postharvest handling protocols to maintain food safety during the transition from field to kitchen.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara gives his closing remarks at the "From Farms to Classrooms: Nourishing Futures Together" dialogue.
Closing the dialogue, DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, reaffirmed the Department's commitment to universal school feeding. He underscored the need for streamlined logistics to ensure consistent nutritional support across the region. He closed the event by pledging strong institutional support for local agricultural sectors, championing a holistic, community-based approach that empowers farmers in their vital role as direct suppliers to these national feeding initiatives.