The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on the local government units (LGUs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to further step up its strategies to boost their continuing fight against hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

DILG-CAR Director Araceli San Jose stressed that the LGUs should keep in mind the vital role they play in enhancing public awareness ‘and taking concrete actions to ensure that water resources are effectively managed and that food security is improved, leaving no one in their communities behind.’

“We are also calling on our LGUs to review and enhance local policies and regulations related to food security, water management, and sustainable agriculture and to advocate for the creation of policies that support these initiatives,’’ San Jose noted.

Likewise San Jose said that the LGUs should ensure the formulation, or if existing, revision/updating of the local nutrition plan of action, to include and support the establishment and maintenance of community gardens, which include both barangay and household gardens.

“Our LGUs should also include in their respective Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan or Comprehensive Development Plan as well as in their Annual Investment Plan applicable programs and activities to promote nutrition such as establishment and maintenance of barangay community gardens to ensure adequate funding for nutritional impact,” she added.

The DILG CAR chief underscored the re-organization and strengthening of the Local Nutrition Committees at the provincial, cand municipal levels with the LCEs as chairperson through the enactment of a local ordinance.

San Jose also stated that the establishment of community gardens is a proven strategy that can make a substantial impact on local food security and the well-being of community members.

The DILG has issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-001 entitled “Implementation of the Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay (HAPAG) sa Barangay Project” to serve as a strategy for diversifying food sources and contribute to ensuring food security.

“We are urging our barangays to identify areas where they can establish their respective community gardens. It should have at least 20 square meters of land area or its equivalent in several patches of land,” San Jose said.

“In establishing the community garden, the barangay shall identify which vegetable plants, herbal plants, and root crops they wish to grow. Also, barangays with suitable spaces are hereby encouraged to plant bamboo,” she added.

Meanwhile, San Jose stated that barangays that do not have vacant areas may implement alternative gardening techniques such as container, vertical, square foot gardening, hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.

“We are also encouraging our barangays to coordinate and request from their respective city or municipal governments or with private individuals who own certain vacant lots that can be used to establish the barangay community garden,” she said.

The DILG-CAR chief also pointed out that the barangays must encourage their residents to set up their family vegetable gardens and/or plant fruit-bearing trees in available open spaces. 

In celebration of the ‘The World Food Day (WFD)’ on Oct. 16, the DILG explained “the WFD serves as a reminder of the need to work together to find solutions to global food and water challenges. It encourages governments, organizations, and individuals to take actions that promote sustainable agriculture, efficient water use and equitable food distribution to help achieve a world with zero hunger.’’