QC gov't signs MOA for agriculture, food security initiatives
By Hannah Nicol
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and two agricultural groups signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the “Resilient Cities Initiative through Sustainable and Peri-Urban Agrifood Systems” on Monday, Oct. 16, to celebrate the United Nations World Food Day.

The agreement between the local government unit (LGU) of Quezon City and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and International Potato Center (CIP) aims to minimize rural poverty, increase food security, enhance human health and nutrition, and sustainable management of natural resources.

The local government said that through the partnership, QCitizen farmers who manage the more than 750 urban farms in the city will have the chance to get acquainted with a variety of "native vegetables" and gain knowledge on how to grow them.
According to Quezon City Public Information Office (PIO), the goal of CGIAR is to educate farmers on sustainable methods of cultivating and saving their own seeds from their crops.

They also added that each district will establish demonstration farms through the initiative.
The LGU stated that those residents who want to start planting, residents can visit the “Joy of Urban Farming” office at the Quezon City Hall to get free seeds and gardening tools.

The city government also offered seminars on urban planning for the residents.
In joining the signing of the memorandum of agreement, City Administrator Mike Alimurung, Quezon City Food Security Task Force Emmanuel Velasco III, Director General of CIP Dr. Simon Heck, Resilient Cities Initiative focal person in the Philippines Ms. Alma Bertuso, and Resilient Cities Initiative Senior Adviser Dr. Gordon Prain were also present at the signing.
