Put up of survival gardens hailed
The City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) lauded the ongoing efforts of residents in the cityβs barangays to put up their own survival gardens to help in improving food self-confidence.
City Veterinarian Dr. Brigit Piok claimed that based on their assessment, numerous residents have been convinced to put up their respective survival gardens even in limited areas to allow them to have a source of food during difficult times and use the same to earn a living.
She said that people were able to maximize the use of available spaces in their homes to produce adequate food not only for themselves but also for their community through the survival gardens that are now serving as an added attraction in their places.
The city veterinarian empathized that the drastic increase in the survival gardens in the different barangays is a clear indication that many people are now convinced on the importance of consuming organically produced agricultural crops for the protection of their health and stability of the supply of vegetable within their midst which they could easily access even during difficult times.
Last year, the local government encouraged residents to establish their own home survival gardens to have adequate sources of food following the extended implementation of the Luzonwide lockdown, aside from serving as an added source of income.
According to her, the overwhelming response of the residents to the aforesaid appeal of the local government gave way for the implementation of certain strategies that radiate the said advocacy to convince more people to practice urban gardening since it is both a strategy to help in the effective and efficient solid waste management, but also for the production of quality agricultural crops, among others.
Piok emphasized that because of the sudden increase in survival gardens everywhere in the city, the local government stopped counting the number of urban gardens that are already existing in the city as what is important is that the city was able to gain headway in its advocacy for people to help in food production and environmental preservation and protection endeavors.
She encouraged more residents to use their available time, especially those who are staying at home because of the ongoing lockdowns, in putting up their own survival gardens with the use of recyclable materials in their homes to help in lessening the volume of garbage being hauled out of the city.
The local government and the agriculture department had been distributing seeds which the residents used in producing their supply of vegetables through their established survival gardens.
Piok expressed her gratitude to the residents who continue to support the aforesaid program of the government as it is both for the greater interest of the people and the environment. – Dexter A. See
