A Man of Many Hats: Agriculturist II Javier A. Andalan, organic agriculture practitioner and Organic Agriculture point person, shares during the first Urban Agriculture Harvest Festival, the advantages of having a garden at home and how growing one's food is essential and necessary in today's trying times. Since experiencing the pandemic last year, the center have harvested and consumed the various vegetables grown in its Learning Site (LS) area.
ATI Compound, Poblacion, El Salvador City--- While there is a growing demand from consumers for locally grown food, many organizations see urban agriculture as a way to enhance food security. It also offers environmental, health and social benefits.
Urban agriculture refers to small areas utilizing vacant lots, gardens, balconies, and empty containers within the city for growing crops for own-consumption or sale in neighborhood markets.
The Urban Agriculture Program (UAP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) is being implemented by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and its 16 regional training centers across the country.
The Urban Agriculture Program aims to achieve the goal towards food sustainability and sufficiency by ensuring that there are safe, available, accessible, affordable food, while providing additional income to households and communities in urban areas throughout the country.
Since its gardening efforts last year, two of the gardening methods the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) have applied include the popular square foot gardening and the conventional raised bed gardening. Hydroponics, vertical and container gardening and a mini-pond were later implemented to maximize the center’s space.
Recently, the management and staff of the center held its first Urban Agriculture Harvest Festival with the theme "Abundang Pagkaon sa Yutang Tagnipan-on”.
"We have proven that not having an ideal location is not a hindrance to establish a garden. Yet, we were able to harvest since last year during the onslaught of pandemic. We were able to showcase what we teach our farmers by practicing what we teach---to walk our talk! Also, our garden area is established to make it accessible to our walk-in clients and customers." Center Director Maria Lydia A. Echavez said in her message during the live streaming of Urban Agriculture Harvest Festival at the ATI-Regional Training Center-X.
Meanwhile, Senior Agriculturist and UA Focal Person Anita L. Molijon announced the region-wide winners of the Urban Household and Community Gardens contest.
The garden area of the center, which is its Learning Site (LS), serves as a source of planting materials and seedlings which will be distributed as starter kits for extension support. It also serves as a practicum area during face-to-face training to complement classroom learning, as venue for practical and hands-on learning experience for immediate use, field visit area for other farmers, ATI training participants and others interested in farming, gardening and agriculture in general.
"There is no such thing as barren soil, only barren minds. Hindi hadlang ang swampy area natin to establish a garden and continue planting. Applying the farming technologies we teach, we were able to harvest and enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is good to know na nakakain natin ang mga tinanim natin sa ating garden." Assistant Center Director Noemi Beth G. Macario said in her closing message during the live streaming of the said event.
The center continuously distributes vegetable seedlings along with IEC materials to communities for the development of their communal gardens. The first Urban Agriculture Harvest Festival transpired in the center’s Learning Site (LS) on May 24, 2021.