By Alexandria Dennise San Juan
Some 6,600 Quezon City residents underwent training on urban farming this year in a bid to reduce costs of food in the household and provide source of income amid increasing prices of commodities due to inflation.
Quezon City Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte. (Mark Balmores/MANILA BULLETIN)
Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said that through the local government's "Joy of Urban Farming" program, resident-participants were given orientations and trainings on backyard gardening, eco-waste management, and climate change.
"Because we are experiencing inflation, we are intensifying the implementation of our urban farming program because more residents are asking for the training,” Belmonte said
She added that with the increasing prices of food, especially Pinoy's staple food which is rice, and other basic commodities, more people are thinking of venturing into backyard farming.
Participants were also given planting and harvesting demonstrations at the project's demo farm at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
"The goal of the project is to show that, even with a small space, urban dwellers can still farm using vertical gardens, containers, and other farming techniques," the vice mayor explained.
After the training, a free starter kit containing seeds, soil, and other needs for farming were distributed to the participants for them to start their own garden.
Belmonte explained that once the residents got engaged in urban farming, they can help reduce costs of food, and, provide healthy food choices for their family, as well as help address climate change.
Under the program, Belmonte added that households that have been selling their produce earn as much as P400 per day which can be a source of livelihood for backyard farmers.
Since its launch in September 2010, the project has attracted a total of 181,414 trainees who were given orientations in barangays, schools, communities and religious institutions.
With this, at least 166 urban farms have also been put up in different barangays in the city.
The project is being conducted in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, the Division of City Schools, the Quezon City Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department, Liga ng mga Barangay, Earthworm Sanctuary, Gawad Kalinga and other organizations.
The QC local government urged interested residents to join weekly urban farming trainings being offered at the "Joy of Urban Farming" site at the Quezon City Hall Compound from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.