In response to the request of Villa Cerveza Elementary School for technical assistance in the establishment of an urban gardening project in preparation for their participation in the Department of Education’s Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP), the Mindoro State University (MinSU), through its Extension Unit, successfully conducted the “Veggies for Kids: Growing Nutritional Food for Elementary Learners” program.
The initiative included two specialized training activities - Training on Production, Monitoring, and Postharvest Handling of Vegetables for School Gardens and Training and Maintenance of Mushroom Culture, aimed at strengthening the school’s gardening and food sustainability efforts.
The program trained Grade 4 to 6 learners, together with their teachers and parents, on vegetable production, garden management, and mushroom cultivation. Participants also engaged in hands-on activities on vegetable gardening, where children were taught proper planting methods, seed care, and the importance of maintaining sustainable gardens.
To further support the school’s greening and food sustainability efforts, MinSU also provided materials for urban gardening, including used plastic bottles sourced from the University’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), promoting recycling and environmental awareness. In addition, 300 mushroom fruiting bags were turned over to the school community to jumpstart their mushroom cultivation activities.
Project I: Training on Production, Monitoring, and Postharvest Handling of Vegetables for School Gardens, conducted on September 23 - 24, 2025, provided hands-on lessons in vegetable cultivation, garden management, and sustainable food production. Facilitated by Mr. Edgardo S. Agoncillo, from the College of Agriculture and Allied Fields (CAAF), the session guided participants in establishing productive and well-managed school gardens.
Project II: Mushroom Production - Training and Maintenance of Mushroom Culture, held on October 2, 2025, focused on mycology and mushroom farming techniques. Spearheaded by Dr. Danilo N. Reyes and Ms. Marivel O. Larracas from CAAF, the training covered substrate preparation using rice straw and sawdust, inoculation, fruiting bag production, and proper handling of oyster mushrooms.
To sustain the implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program, MinSU will also provide vegetable seeds, fertilizers, and vegetable seedlings, ensuring the continuity of the school’s gardening and food production activities.
Ms. Elisa M. Agoncillo, OIC-Director for Extension, Knowledge and Technology Transfer, emphasized that as a University, MinSU carries a shared responsibility to support educational partners and local communities. She noted that introducing children to agriculture at an early age helps nurture their appreciation for food production and environmental stewardship.
“As a university, it is also our duty to help our partners in education and in the community - especially the children, learn about agriculture from the very beginning,” Ms. Agoncillo said. “When we teach them early on, we help them develop a mindset of care, productivity, and responsibility, values they will carry into adulthood,” she added.
She further noted that the Veggies for Kids program is a 12-month initiative that includes continuous monitoring and follow-up activities to ensure its successful implementation of the program.
The principal, faculty, and staff of Villa Cerveza Elementary School expressed their heartfelt gratitude to MinSU for the technical assistance, materials, and partnership extended to the school community.
As MinSU continues to strengthen its extension programs, initiatives like Veggies for Kids showcase how hands-on learning experiences can empower children to become responsible, community-oriented individuals - cultivating not only crops but also values that will help shape a sustainable and resilient future.
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