A ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the kick off of “ATIng Pantry on Wheels” organized by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in MiMaRoPa.

The project aims to further strengthen the Urban Gardening in the communities through provision of vegetable seeds in exchange for the harvest of beneficiaries of ATI-MiMaRoPa’s program. With this, more households and community members will be encouraged to produce their own food through establishment of backyard gardens.

In support to the community pantry movement, “ATIng Pantry on Wheels” will bring assorted goods and vegetables such as eggplant, pechay, squash, okra, pipino, string beans, mung bean and cucumber, among others to help communities who are greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Said goods and farm produce are donations and pledges from the Center's staff and ATIng Gulayan, Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) cooperators and beneficiaries of Plant, Plant, Plant, Plant Program and Urban Agriculture of the Department of Agriculture.

Center Director Pat Andrew B. Barrientos, Assistant Center Director Ruben P. Jugno and PLTCOL Imelda V. Tolentino of the Philippine National Police grace the ceremony. On his message, Dir. Barrientos says that ATI-MiMaRoPa will fully support this kind of initiative to continue the ripple of uplifting and helping the community especially during this crisis.