The National Nutrition Council at the National Capital Region (NNC-NCR) continued its partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Region III for the implementation of Phase 4 of the Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program (TK-DSP) in the region.

TK-DSP is an initiative of NNC to mitigate hunger and malnutrition and prevent stunting in the first 1000 days of life (F1K). It also promotes the economic empowerment of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) through sustainable partnership as a direct buyer of ARBO’s farm products and services.

In 2021, NNC-NCR and DAR-Region III entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the implementation of Phase 1 of the program targeting pregnant women in NCR. DAR Region III linked NNC-NCR with one of their ARBOs in Pampanga, the Sto. Tomas San Luis Farmers Association, Inc. The said ARBO was the supplier of commodities for hot meals such as meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruit, and condiments, among others during Phase 1 of the TK-DSP. Six-hundred sixteen (616) pregnant mothers from the cities of Caloocan, Navotas, and Parańaque, and the municipality of Pateros were given daily food supplementation for 90 days from December 2021 to March 2022.

For Phase 4, 100 children aged 6–23 months from the municipality of Pateros were enrolled to receive daily supplements of hot meals on weekdays and DOST-FNRI dry commodities on weekends for 180 days. The fourth phase of the program is set to begin within this year, 2022.

In line with this, a virtual meeting was conducted on February 17 to discuss the challenges encountered by the partner ARBO during Phase 1 and actions for the improvement of the delivery of commodities for Phase 4.

DAR Region III once again linked NNC-NCR with an ARBO under their jurisdiction, Cruzian Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) as the supplier for Phase 4. A meeting was held on March 18 with DAR-Pampanga and representatives of MPC to discuss the details of the program.

NNC-NCR and Cruzian MPC are set to sign the Marketing Agreement (MA) to formalize this partnership. In addition, an amendment to the MOU with DAR was also signed on March 3, 2022 to include children 6-23 months as target beneficiaries of Phase 4 of Tutok Kainan DSP.

NNC-NCR and DAR Region III will continue their partnership to ensure the successful implementation of Phase 4 of Tutok Kainan DSP in NCR.

Written by: PNFP Diana Jean A. Umali and NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo