Bago city: Five state-of-the-art greenhouses will soon be established in Bago City, Negros Occidental, as part of the Smart Agriculture Project funded by South Korea. This initiative is facilitated through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and aims to bolster agricultural infrastructure and market opportunities for local farmers.

According to Philippines News Agency, the project, officially named the Village-Level Enterprise for Value Chain Enhancement of High-Value Crops through Smart Agriculture (VEHCSA), will be developed on a one-hectare property in Barangay Napoles. With an investment of PHP61 million, this project is expected to significantly improve post-harvest facilities and market access for farmers in the region. City Agriculturist Marvin John Blance indicated that construction is scheduled to commence between June and July, with an anticipated completion by January next year. The full project completion and launch are projected for 2027.

The smart greenhouse facility will focus on cultivating high-value crops, including cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, and honeydew melon. KOICA will provide subsidies for essential inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and smart farming technologies for one year. Upon project completion, KOICA will hand over management to the city government, with two farmer associations acting as marketing partners.

On May 29, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Eunhye Pyun met with Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao to discuss the project's benefits for local farmers and the city's agriculture sector. Pyun emphasized the project's role in adopting an agricultural greenhouse system to increase farmers' income and enhance their agricultural skills and techniques. Following the meeting, Pyun presented a refrigerated van to Javellana-Yao, aimed at strengthening support for agricultural development and post-harvest management.

KOICA is collaborating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement the VEHCSA projects in Panay and Negros. In Bacolod City, KOICA officials also met with DA-NIR Regional Executive Director Jose Albert Barrogo to discuss the progress of the VEHCSA project in Bago City.

Last January, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremony for a similar smart greenhouse complex in Kalibo, Aklan.