QUEZON CITY, Philippines – More and more community pantries are being organized across Metro Manila in the past few days. In an effort to join this cause, the Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Kababaihan (LNK), and Lakas at Ugnayan ng Kalalakihan (LUK) organized a community pantry at Pook Aguinaldo in Barangay UP Campus in this city last April 25, 2021.

The group distributed fresh vegetables such as eggplants, pechay, and upland kangkong to help community members who are greatly affected by strict lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The produce that were distributed by LNK and LUK are grown and harvested from their community urban garden.

Both LNK and LUK are beneficiaries of the Urban Agriculture Program of the Department of Agriculture that is being implemented by Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). Specifically, in the establishment of urban gardens to encourage various households and community members to produce their own food.

The Urban Agriculture Program aims to achieve the goal towards food sustainability and sufficiency by ensuring that there are safe, available, accessible, affordable food, whilst providing additional income to households and communities in urban areas throughout the country.