Quezon City councilor pushes urban farming

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City District 2 councilor Mikey Belmonte yesterday urged households to adopt urban farming as a way to provide alternative and healthy food source during the pandemic.

“With the recent rise in cases especially in Quezon City, we know families are having a harder time providing for their daily needs due to the limitation of movement and due to the reduction in income of many breadwinners,” he said.

“One opportunity they could explore is backyard farming. With minimal inputs, a family can already start growing a few vegetables and fruits to supplement their food intake,” he added.

Belmonte earlier launched the MB Farmville program with the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute and the office of Mayor Joy Belmonte to provide communities and households with free technical training on urban gardening.

Beneficiaries were also provided free starter kits to help jumpstart backyard gardens for interested residents.

Last month, the city held its first harvest festival in an urban vegetable farm established in Barangay Bagong Silangan, which is located in District 2.

According to Belmonte, an advanced greenhouse village will be constructed in Barangay Payatas to assist beginner urban farmers and further boost urban farming capacity in the district.