2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

Sustainable Technology on Ecological Preservation and Horticultural Engagement (STEPHEN) is a home gardening and community empowerment initiative designed for food security and the generation of family and community income for the City of Passi, a component city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. In contrast to other programs that primarily concentrate on developing individual farming skills, the STEPHEN Program places emphasis on enhancing values and attitudes aimed towards increasing farm productivity.

The program aims to provide equal opportunities for all individuals to engage in decision-making processes, achieving meaningful outcomes. Its objectives include establishing platforms for citizen participation, incorporating diverse perspectives in policy-making, actively involving the public in policy formulation and implementation, and ensuring food security for all.

To garner support and encourage participation, the STEPHEN program offers technical assistance through trainings, seminars, and related activities. It also provides financial schemes and essential farm inputs to vegetable growers.

The methodology used in the STEPHEN Program aims to empower communities through sustainable agriculture. The project comprises phases and participation channels for success. Garden in the Home addressed malnutrition and low family income. It targeted welfare recipients, government surrenderees (such as rebels and addicts), and areas with schools. Participants were recruited through signed and approved project proposals with budgetary requirements from the city mayor. Building on its success, STEPHEN provides agricultural inputs, technologies, and facilities to farmers, households, and communities. It includes three major projects: the Rural-Based Project, Urban Poor Project, and High-Value Commercial Crop Growers Project.

The Rural-Based Project promotes communal and individual vegetable production, fostering food security and economic growth in rural communities. The Urban Poor Project offers innovative solutions for urban households to engage in vegetable production despite space and resource limitations. The High-Value Commercial Crop Growers Project targets rural areas suitable for commercial vegetable production, aiming to boost agricultural productivity and economic opportunities.

The STEPHEN Program, which initially began in 2011 with five villages organized into farming communities in Passi City, has now grown in 2023 to include 55 participating farmer associations with 4,981 members from 51 villages. Additionally, there are 36 farms contributing to 31.30 hectares of commercial production.

In terms of its impact on public policies, the City Council established the Food Security Section, allocating its own budget and separate funds to oversee the STEPHEN Program whereas this was not so in the past.

The success of the STEPHEN program has led to increased support from the government. The Department of Agrarian Reform allocated several million in 2023 for farm-to-market roads, a Tissue Culture Laboratory with a Greenhouse, and farm machinery and equipment.

The evaluation and monitoring process of the STEPHEN Program engaged the community through Pulong-pulong sa Barangay (local town hall meetings) and visits to home or communal gardens. These methods ensured the community actively participated in the evaluation. Evaluation forms were distributed to program members, with assistance offered to aid in completion. This enables the program to continuously enhance its initiatives by considering suggestions, criticisms, and feedback from the beneficiaries.

More information:

• https://www.facebook.com/lgupassicity (External link) 
• https://www.facebook.com/rsulpico (External link)