Metro Cagayan de Oro City---Aside from furthering the education among the youth in the country and serving as champions in the academe, 42 teachers from the Aquino Integrated School in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental took the initiative to partner with the Agricultural Training Institute- Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) to engage in vegetable gardening.

The training, titled as “Maximizing Space: Training on Urban Vegetable Gardening aimed to (1.) apply the basic concepts of urban vegetable gardening at home and in school; (2.) employ basic steps in setting up a square foot and container garden; (3.) prepare concoctions to be used in the garden; and (4.) recognize the importance of food safety in relation to vegetable production and consumption.

The introduction of organic urban gardening to the teacher participants was very timely since the method uses only less space for more crops with consideration to climate change mitigation. With this method of gardening, they can produce their own source of fresh and chemical-free produce. Furthermore, urban gardening also deals with the problem on food sustainability. With this method being promoted and recommended by the institute, more Filipino families can produce their own food in their own backyard.

Hands-on activities were held at Cervantes Farm in Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro City and Jaya Secret Garden in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon where Learning Site (LS) owners and cooperators Honorio S. Cervantes and Junah S. Bayag served as Resource Persons (RP) respectively. The hands-on activity was coupled with farm exposure which enhanced the training participants’ knowledge and skills in organic urban vegetable gardening.

Aside from Mr. Cervantes and Mr. Bayag, Organic Agriculture Focal Javier P. Andalan as the Project Officer of the said training, also served as one of the RPs. The training transpired on July 12-14, 2019 at the De Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. (with reports from Javier P. Andalan, Agriculturist-II)