DepEd strengthens farm-to-school ties to boost feeding program
MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) is working to strengthen partnerships between farmers and schools to support its expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP).
Education Secretary Sonny Angara met with farmer cooperatives, school officials, and other stakeholders at Tangway Integrated School to discuss ways local agricultural production can directly supply food for school feeding initiatives.
The school is being positioned as a pilot site for a farm-to-school procurement model, which would enable farmer cooperatives to directly provide fresh produce to schools.
The initiative aims to ensure a steady supply of nutritious vegetables for students while also creating a reliable market for farmers.
In a statement, Angara emphasized the important role of farmers in improving student nutrition and supporting local communities, especially amid the challenges faced by the agriculture sector.
He noted that farmers play a key role in the expanded SBFP, which is expected to reach more learners in the coming school year.
For School Year 2026–2027, DepEd is set to roll out its largest feeding program expansion yet, targeting 4.63 million learners starting in June. The program is backed by a ₱25.6 billion budget—more than double the ₱11.8 billion allocated in 2025.
NPO News Team | Philippine News Agency - PR
