Tagbilaran City – “I joined Grow My Own Food (GMOF) project to promote clean & green at this time of pandemic, we know that most vegetables today are commercially produced. I want to help promote clean and green, and produce organic vegetables in my backyard while on community quarantine” said Henry Cantoneros, a displaced worker from Maribojoc, Bohol during the launching of GMOF on May 26, 2020 at the Carlos P. Garcia Park, this city.
Grow My Own Food project is a backyard garden contest design for the youth, displaced workers and their families, aiming to showcase their gardening skills and ability to grow their own food organically and sustainably in respond to combat against covid crisis. It is collaborative efforts initiated by Origin Box, Dalareich, Kapunongan sa Bol-anong Organikong Mag-uuma (KABOOM), Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), and AGREA in partnership with the Provincial Government of Bohol through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and Agricultural Training Institute- VII (ATI-7).
Through its Plant Plant Plant Program, ATI-VII sponsored the participants with assorted seedlings, technoguides and vermicast, while the OPA gave away assorted seeds as the competitors’ starter kits for the contest. A total of 50 participants coming from the 1st District participated in the event and it runs from May 26 to July 25, this year.
“We are happy to initiate this project together with our hardworking partners to help our fellow Boholanos in sustainable way especially this time of COVID crisis. Grow My Own Food is one of the example of private-public partnership and collaboration during this difficult time. Through this contest, we can inspire more Boholanos to plant more and secure their own food at home. We can work as one community, one resilient Bohol” said Dalareich Polot one of the project initiators.
Top 3 winners will be receiving cash prizes from other sponsors with the amount of P5,000.00, P4,000.00 and P3,000.00 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes respectively alongside with seeds, farm inputs, and farm business advisory services.
Meanwhile, Gov. Art Yap in his message, he said: “In this time of the COVID virus, Bohol must be ready, not only to protect itself from disease, but must sustain the living among us. People are hungry and without jobs. A return to basics such as food production will ensure food security and basic income. At the very least, healthy living, exercise and nutritious food will be needed to strengthen our bodies to fight this virus. Join us in this program. It is our responsibility to make sure that no one goes hungry in Bohol today.”