The order of the day for the Typhoon Pablo victims is for them to produce food within the shortest possible time. There are crops that can be harvested within just a few weeks from planting.

Just like camote, for instance. As early as three weeks from planting the vines, tender shoots could be harvested. What is important now is for the agencies of the Department of Agriculture and maybe NGOs to provide the planting materials. Maybe, the Philippine Root Crops Research Institute in Baybay City, Leyte, could help provide the planting materials.

Camote shoots are nutritious and most people are used to eating this vegetable. The shoots could be blanched and made into salad with tomatoes and bagoong. The shoots could be cooked with fish sinigang or some other food preparations.

The water used for boiling the shoots could be made into a refreshing drink. It could be sweetened with sugar and a few drops of calamansi juice will enhance the taste.

If camote vines for planting are in short supply, the roots could also be used for planting although it will take a longer time to produce the shoot-producing vines.

ALUGBATI — This is a favorite of many Visayans in cooking their mungo dish and other favorite preparations. Alugbati is very easy to establish simply by planting cuttings. Shoots from cuttings will be ready for harvesting in less than one month. One household can plant just a few cuttings for a start and then multiply their plants very easily from then on.

Just the same, what is important is for the agencies of the government and private groups to provide the planting materials. Aside from cuttings, seeds can be used for planting.

UPLAND KANGKONG — This is another vegetable that can be harvested as early as 20 days from planting the seed. What’s good about upland kangkong is that there are seed companies that are distributing the planting materials.

Maybe, seed companies like East-West Seed Company, Allied Botanical Corporation, Ramgo and Harbest Agribusiness can help in supplying the seeds, not necessarily for free if they can’t afford to donate them. Maybe, they can donate some but the rest could be for the account of the Department of Agriculture and other do-gooders.

Aside from vegetables, the families can plant white and yellow corn. The white corn could be used for human food while the yellow corn could be used to feed their chickens as well as their pigs. If they can produce commercial volume of yellow corn, they could sell their harvest for money.

There are many other crops that could be planted by the typhoon victims. These include eggplant, tomato, squash, okra, ampalaya and many others.

To reiterate, what is very important is to make the planting materials available soonest. Government or private technicians should also be out there to help the victims grow their plants properly.

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