The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) wants the indigenous people (IPs) of Nueva Ecija to have sustainable employment and food sources.

NCIP-Nueva Ecija chief, Donato Bumacas said that one of the agency's flagship programs is Sustainable Agriculture through Family Empowerment or SAFE, which was launched to help the livelihood of the indigenous Dumagat Kabuluwen and Aeta in the province.

He also said that the office is constantly looking for ways in collaboration with various government departments, to develop and launch programs that will better benefit the IPs of Nueva Ecija.

According to Bumacas, the SAFE Program is one of the only projects launched in Nueva Ecija, that has three components such as the Social Preparation and Capacity Building which is important to equip the indigenous people to be educated, to be trained to continuously carry out the projects.

If the IPs are ready, he said, the planting of vegetables, rice, trees and the care of animals will follow suit.

The third and final part is the marketing or teaching of the IPs to sell the surplus of the harvested products, from the vegetable and livestock so that the proceeds can be used to supply the education of their children or other needs.

NCIP partners with the Department of Agriculture, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology and the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija in the SAFE program.

Photo Credit: PIA