The government should establish more urban gardens and roll out more agriculture-related programs in cities to boost the country’s food supply, according to Senator Cynthia A. Villar.
Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said urban gardening could help augment food supply in cities, particularly when farms in rural areas are hit by natural disasters.
“The Philippines is the most disastrous-prone country in the world. It’s not surprising if later on our provinces would be hit by disasters and they are not able to bring in their produce to Metro Manila,” Villar told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the relaunching of Cedarhills Garden Center (CGC) recently.
“It’s better that we also have our own food production in the Metro Manila, so if that situation happens we are self-sustaining in terms of our food. It’s time to make a serious effort [to expand] urban gardening in Metro Manila” she said. While the Department of Agriculture (DA) has a number of urban-farming programs, Villar noted that these are not being implemented properly.
She also said that, under the law, residential subdivisions must allocate 7 percent of its land area for open spaces, which could then be used for gardening and
food-production purposes.
“Usually, spaces in subdivisions are left idle. Why not convert them into gardens?” Villar asked.
The lawmaker also said the government must improve and expand the existing “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which aims to promote urban gardening in schools.
Villar said urban gardening would not only provide additional produce for the communities but also serve as a source of income for urban dwellers. Gerald Sioco, CEO of CGC, said now is the right time for Filipinos, particularly for the youth, to embrace gardening.
“The youth today has forgotten the importance of gardening in our lives—the essence of growing our own produce and making sure the produce that we harvest are safe and environment-friendly,” Sioco told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the same event.
CGC offers an array urban gardening seminars and workshops, ranging from basic urban gardening to specialized planting, such as cactus and succulent workshop, according to Sioco.
“Once you’ve developed the love and passion for gardening, it is very, very rewarding and enriching. This is one hobby you will not regret adopting,” said Sioco, who is a tea lover and plants and grows sweet basil for his own consumption.
During the Aquino administration, the DA allocated some P10 million to launch an urban-gardening program. The budget was used for the procurement and distribution of seeds, garden tools, as well as fishing equipment to homeowners, barangays and public schools.
Former Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said urban agriculture may not be able to produce all what city dwellers need but it was a way to increase awareness on agriculture and food security.