Can We End Hunger in the Philippines?

Summary

In Barangay Biga-a, Negros Oriental, a community-led initiative called ARK Feed Back has transformed lives by fostering food security, self-sufficiency, and mutual support. Through vegetable exchanges, families grow, share, and enjoy fresh produce, while participating in social activities that inspire pride and engagement. With a focus on collaboration and empowerment, ARK avoids handouts and instead cultivates long-term sustainable change. The program has proven successful, promoting healthier diets, creating new income opportunities, and enhancing community cohesion. This model is now being replicated in over 100 communities, demonstrating its potential to address hunger and poverty across the Philippines.

Takeaways

• 🌱 ARK's Feed Back program empowers communities to grow their own vegetables at home and share produce, fostering self-sufficiency and food security.
• 👩‍🌾 Barangay Biga-a transformed from a community facing malnutrition to one that can feed itself with nutritious meals through backyard gardening and collaboration.
• 🤝 Community participation is essential: families contribute vegetables to exchanges and gain access to a wider variety, creating a collaborative food system.
• 🏆 Local events like vegetable-themed costume competitions and pageants motivate residents to engage, celebrate their produce, and promote local pride.
• 💡 ARK emphasizes catalytic change rather than handouts, focusing on building skills, resourcefulness, and sustainable habits in communities.
• 👨‍🌾 Leaders like Richard Pancho demonstrate how local leadership and farmer associations can drive community-wide agricultural growth and cooperation.
• 🥦 Behavioral change is central: within 16 weeks, families adopt regular gardening, share produce, improve nutrition, and sometimes generate extra income by selling surplus.
• 🌍 Partnerships with companies like Booth and initiatives like 1% for the Planet help fund and sustain programs, linking social impact with business responsibility.
• 🍲 Traditional Filipino vegetable dishes, like Law-uy, are being revitalized, improving nutrition while reconnecting communities with culturally significant foods.
• 📈 ARK's approach proves that self-sustaining systems, community engagement, and resource-sharing can be scaled across multiple communities for long-term impact.
• 💪 Empowering people to take agency over their livelihoods builds dignity, skills, and knowledge, helping them rise out of poverty and live in harmony.
• 🎯 Success relies on inclusion and co-investment: every household's participation and commitment is critical for creating lasting food security and social cohesion.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the ARK Feed Back program in Barangay Biga-a?

The main purpose of ARK Feed Back is to promote food security by helping families grow vegetables at home, share produce with neighbors, and create a sustainable system where communities can feed themselves and generate income from excess produce.

How does the vegetable exchange system work in the community?

Each family grows vegetables at home and contributes at least three kinds to the exchange. In return, they receive a fair share of over 20 varieties from their neighbors. Every contribution of 50 pesos worth of vegetables also earns a raffle ticket for prizes, creating a community-based market.

Who are the key leaders behind ARK Solves and what is their philosophy?

Ayesha Vera-Yu and Jerry Topitzer are key leaders of ARK Solves. Their philosophy emphasizes catalytic change rather than handouts, believing in people's talents, creativity, and ability to find solutions, fostering partnerships and sustainable community growth.

What impact has the ARK Feed Back program had on local families in Biga-a?

The program has led families to become food secure, improve nutrition, generate extra income from surplus produce, and develop stronger community relationships. Over 10 weeks, 229 families exchanged 21,584 kg of vegetables, averaging 13.4 kg per household per week.

How does ARK encourage community participation beyond just growing vegetables?

ARK incorporates fun activities such as color games, costume competitions, and pageants using locally grown vegetables. These events motivate families to join, socialize, and take pride in their contributions, fostering engagement and collective ownership of the program.

What role does the municipal agricultural office play in ARK Feed Back?

The municipal agricultural office provides support by supplying seeds and offering training to the community, helping families develop gardening skills and sustain vegetable production for both consumption and exchange.

How does ARK Feed Back address the challenge of malnutrition in the community?

By encouraging families to grow and consume a variety of vegetables, ARK Feed Back improves dietary diversity and nutrition. The program ensures that families have consistent access to fresh, nutritious food, reducing malnutrition over the 16-week cycle.

What is the significance of the ARK program in promoting social cohesion in Barangay Biga-a?

The program strengthens social bonds by encouraging families to share produce, participate in community activities, and support one another. This collective effort fosters trust, cooperation, and a sense of pride in the community's achievements.

How do corporate partners like Booth contribute to ARK's mission?

Booth supports ARK through the 1% for the Planet initiative, contributing a portion of revenue to social and environmental causes. This partnership provides funding, visibility, and encouragement for sustainable community programs like ARK Feed Back.

What long-term changes does ARK Feed Back aim to achieve in communities?

The program aims to create lasting behavioral change where families continue growing their own food, sharing with neighbors, generating income from surplus, and maintaining food security. It also seeks to inspire other barangays to replicate this model for broader impact.

Why does ARK avoid handouts, and how does it implement a catalytic approach instead?

ARK avoids handouts because they can disempower communities. Instead, ARK uses a catalytic approach by creating systems where people invest in themselves and each other, leveraging their talents and resourcefulness to sustainably solve hunger and improve livelihoods.

What cultural elements are integrated into the ARK Feed Back program to increase engagement?

ARK integrates local cultural elements such as costume competitions, pageants, and community gatherings that celebrate local produce. This approach makes participation enjoyable, encourages creativity, and strengthens community pride in their achievements.