To enable urban dwellers to produce food for their own consumption, the government continues to campaign for food production in small spaces with the establishment of the fourth Urban Agriculture-Pagkain Para Sa Masa (UA-PPSM) site at the Agricultural Training Institute Compound in Quezon City.
Themed “Sa maliit na espasyo, may pagkain tayo”, UA-PPSM seeks to capacitate city residents to grow vegetables and other foodstuff by introducing the values of basic food production, healthy food systems and clean urban environment. The project is in line with the president’s directive towards available and affordable food for every Filipino.
“DA is exerting efforts to lessen hunger in the urban community. Tulad ng sabi ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang kampanya na dapat walang matutulog ng gutom sa mga Pilipino,” Undersecretary for Special Concerns Atty. Ranibai Dilangalen said.
Thru this project, Ranibai said the department aims to reach #zerohunger by 2030.
The UA-PPSM is composed of four (4) major components: (1) urban farming which includes technical assistance for the residents in the area and turned-over of initial inputs such as facilities and equipment for new sites, (2) mushroom culture, (3) feeding program with the children beneficiaries in Brgy. Vasra, and (4) turn-over of hydroponics-aquaponics technology farming system from Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc, which is in line with their company brand “advancing business and communities in order to drive change for a better world”.
One of the highlights of the event is the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Usec. Dilangalen, ATI OIC-Director Luz A. Taposok, Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. FVP and COO Maribeth Marasigan, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Vice president for External Corporate Relations Christopher Camba designating the ATI Compound as area for communal vegetable garden.
The UA-PPSM was first launched on May 31, 2017 at the Barangay Bahay Toro in Quezon City. Following the kick-off, the Department has established communal gardens at Bago Aplaya, Davao on August 25 and Sitio Pagalungan, Lugay-lugay, Cotabato City on February 5, 2018.
DA is set to establish UA-PPSM on April 12 in Taguig City. ### (Kristel Merle/DA-AFID)
