Young farmers in the city given funding
BAGUIO CITY – The city council recently approved an ordinance appropriating an amount of P250,000.00 to be used every year in capacitating the young farmers in the city.
The said fund will come from the budget of the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO). The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), if capable, may also provide a counterpart appropriation for the said purpose.
Further, through the ordinance, the 4-H Program (Young Farmers Program) of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is now institutionalized.
The 4-H Program provides activities and income-generating projects aimed at introducing the youth to farm family development and urban gardening complementing the youth development advocacy of the SK in empowering the youth by engaging them in community projects.
The 4-H program members as well as parents will be given training to further enhance their competence in agri-crop production. The training methodology will be based on principles of learning by doing through plenary sessions, practical learning application, hands-on demonstration, and non-formal education, among others. The CVAO will be directly involved in providing the necessary trainings.
According to the ordinance, the youth will also be introduced to proper waste management as urban management utilizes wastewater and organic kitchen waste in the production of crops. Further, they will be encouraged to venture into farm-entrepreneurship to help in boosting agri-tourism in the city.
The CVAO will ensure the establishment of “farms schools” in the city which will serve as the basic training and production facilities for agri-crop production.
The program further aims to involve other young people in the city in growing safe and healthy agricultural crops through urban gardening in their respective barangays and households.
The CVAO, being the implementing office, is tasked to formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the ordinance 90 days from the effectivity of the ordinance.
Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales, main author of the ordinance, said there is a need to address agricultural concerns in the city, adding that urban development is reducing the nation’s agricultural productivity.
“Aside from the continuous decrease of both land and water resources, there is also a continuous aging population of our farmers all throughout the country,” he stressed. “Thus, we need to integrate strategic development efforts in the delivery of support services in the communities and institutions that will create a long-lasting impact in terms of agricultural development especially in the urban cities like the City of Baguio.”
The ordinance has been forwarded to the Mayor’s Office for signing. -Jordan G. Habbiling
