Food security in the metro pushed; Urban garden project launched in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Nutrition Committee is pushing for food security in the metro as it recently launched its first Urban Garden Project in the congested area of Sitio Mahayahay in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

Dr. Parolita A. Mission, National Nutrition Council- 7 nutrition program coordinator, stressed the importance of establishing an urban garden to address the issues on food security and malnutrition.

Mission in a statement said that it is better to harvest food from one’s own backyard than buy them in the market.

This way, she said, families will be assured that food is always available, nutritious and safe.

Mission also challenged the attending association members to replicate the establishment of an urban garden in their household.

 Vicente Alcesto, coordinator of Cebu City Urban Agriculture, cited in his Urban Container Gardening Orientation and Demonstration the strategies in maintaining a healthy urban garden.

He said that a plant needs to be placed in a strategic place with four to six hours of sunlight exposure to keep it healthy.

The launching activity was led by the Department of Agriculture-7, Cebu City Agriculture Department, and the NNC-7 in collaboration with the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Associations, Inc.

DA-7, being the project’s spearheading agency, turned over two sacks of gardening soil and vegetable seedlings to the managers of the urban garden.

The agency will also be conducting a follow-up orientation-seminar with the Cebu City Agriculture Department to capacitate the members of the people’s organization in managing the urban garden. (FREEMAN)