The Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) has forged a partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to ensure the food security of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), it said in a statement on Friday, Jan. 14.
The ATI and BJMP have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last Jan. 11 which validated the Bureau's role in broadening the Urban Agriculture Program (UAP) in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The said program aims to develop technologies to raise and use crops, livestock, and fish in the urban setting.
Nemielynn P. Pangilinan, ATI Extension Programs and Development Section Chief, expressed hope that the BJMP will become one of ATI-UAP's strongholds in sustaining a productive city-based community gardening and influencing the neighboring communities to adapt a localized food system in the country.
On the other hand, BJMP Jail Senior Superintendent Flory F. Sanchez said that their partnership with ATI will pave the way for re-orienting the directions and roles of PDLs in the society in terms of nation-building and ensuring food security.
"We are opening the doors of our facilities to the Department of Agriculture-ATI programs that will cater to our PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty)," Sanchez said.
In hopes to contribute to the department's Plant, Plant, Plant Program, the Institute commits to continuously campaigning for urban agriculture through alliance-building, networking, and fostering better representations from various sectors.