The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is allotting P400 million under the Bayanihan to Recover As One (Bayanihan 2) Act to further expand the government’s urban agriculture program and attain family household food security.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted that the agriculture sector remains the backbone of the Philippine economy.
“As the country transitions onto the ‘new normal,’ it is important that we continue our joint efforts to ensure an adequate supply of affordable and nutritious food and improve our food logistics and transportation systems,” Dar said.
Dar said the urban agriculture program will also include “edible landscaping (EL),” an initiative of the department through the Bureau of Agriculture Research (BAR) in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
The DA chief said under the EL farming approach, pplied artistry and basic landscaping principles are aesthetically combined with crop production to provide supply of vegetables to households.
Dar also urged more academic institutions, local government units, and barangays to promote edible landscaping and urban agriculture to ensure sustainable production of fresh and healthy produce.
“Rest assured the DA will continue to implement much-needed initiatives and programs, like edible landscaping and urban agriculture, to ensure that every Filipino family has enough food on their table,” he added.