Metro Cagayan de Oro---A discussion of the center’s next move in pushing its Community Urban Gardening Program was facilitated recently by OIC-Center Director Maria Lydia A. Echavez along with ATI-RTC 10 senior staff. The meeting convened City Agriculturist Mr. Paul Douglas Calingin, along with Mr. Reynaldo Gil ‘Datu Makadingding’ Lomarda with wife Rose Maryl of Greenminds Inc. and a representative of Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma to confer a joint effort in the implementation of urban gardening in Cagayan de Oro City.

Anchored via the Plant Plant Plant Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), it encourages households to plant vegetables especially in urban community areas. The program also encourages neighbors to join together to organize, build, and manage a community garden since gardening brings an impressive array of benefits to their community and to each household.

Community gardens are well known for providing an area for neighbors to grow fresh and healthy food close to home. Aside from improving food access, community gardens provide food security to the family and an avenue for strong neighborhood-level social change.

Dining on food grown close to home is one of several eco-friendly benefits of community gardens and it is easy to adopt healthier habits when nourishing options are available.

After the meeting, the group did a site visit at the Fergber Integrated Organic Farm in Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro City. The farm showcases an agri-aqua area, square foot gardens, livestock and fish culture area, seedling production area and ornamental plants area.