By By Danny Estacio
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna- Not everybody has a wide area in their home for vegetable gardening. This should not deter from producing food at home and in the community, as encouraged by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Plant, Plant, Plant Program.
In continuous support of the endeavor of ensuring food availability and accessibility, the DA Region IV-CALABARZON is now promoting bio-intensive gardening.
Bio-intensive gardening, which was developed by the Cavite Agricultural Research and Experiment Station (CARES), is a method considered for better soil quality and space-saving in a garden.
“This approach involves the application of compost and other plants nutrients, crop preparation, and use of locally-available materials,” said Eda F. Dimapilis, CARES Superintendent and Cavite Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer.
Using such a technique, vegetables like green corn, pechay, onion, bell pepper, tomato, and okra are now being planted at CARES.
In Quezon also, the DA-4a and the provincial government headed by Governor Danilo Suarez, has launched the “Gulayan sa Bakuran” by distributing different varieties of vegetable seeds to farmers, initially in Mauban town while Luzon still under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
The Gulayan sa Bakuran is to be implemented by the provincial agriculture office (PAO) in contact with the municipal agriculture offices in the province (MAO) for province-wide implementation and to encourage the community to engage in urban farming.
The vegetable seeds are to be planted even in a small portion of land in the backyard, and in do-it-yourself (DIY) improvised pots using plastic containers, tires, plastic bottles, bags, and other materials, and the harvest could be sold.
For more information, visit Department of Agriculture (DA) – CALABARZON.
