Six farmer-scientists were commended on Thursday by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for extending their technical expertise in developing the first successful urban vegetable gardening project in Tondo, Manila.

DAR-Cavite provincial agrarian reform program officer James Arthur Dubongco cited Joselito Tibayan, Allan Marjes Tibayan and Roberto Mojica, all officers of the Palanque Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Naic; Danilo Arnes and Mario Profeta of Tres Cruces Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers Association; and, Teresita Villanueva of Barangay Bunga Farmers Association in Tanza for “voluntarily sharing their proven farming techniques to Tondo residents who took part in the project, dubbed as Buhay sa Gulay, a brain-child of DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones.’’

“You have not denied your talents and skill in the field of farming. Your response became a signal for the success of the said project. Thank you for your time and knowledge,” Dubongco said.

Castriciones pursued the project in partnership with Fr. Gaudencio Carandang, parish priest of the Saint John Bosco Parish after the football field was left idle.

The DAR chief noticed this after the agency was distributing food packs two months ago to selected local residents living within the immediate vicinity of the parish church.

“The DAR provided the farm inputs and the tractor and other farm implements that were used to cultivate the idle lot, while local residents, led by their barangay chairmen, volunteered to do the farming,’’ DAR said in a statement.

With the success of the project, Castriciones said other local government units LGUs) in Metro Manila had conferred with his office to have the project replicated in their respective localities.

Among the said LGUs are Quezon city and Caloocan City.