Baguio City — In a move to bolster urban food production and sustainability, students in Baguio City have been engaging in urban gardening training sessions aimed at transforming local green spaces into sources of food. The initiative, which began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to expand as it incorporates educational programs for young people.
According to Philippines News Agency, chief of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Service at the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR), the recent training involved 30 Grade 11 students specializing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics from Easter College. The session took place on Friday and was conducted in partnership with the DA-Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI) and the Cordillera chapter of the Philippine Association of Agriculturists (PAA).
Dr. Pagtan, who is also the vice president of PAA-Cordillera, emphasized the critical need for younger generations to engage in agriculture, noting the aging demographic of current farmers, with an average age of 57. The training aims to address this gap by fostering enthusiasm for agricultural pursuits among the youth. She highlighted programs like the Young Farmers Challenge, designed to involve young people in agricultural processes beyond traditional farming roles.
The training session underscored the practical benefits of urban gardening, including significant cost savings on food. Dr. Pagtan shared that maintaining a vegetable garden in her family's compound in La Trinidad, Benguet, helps save an average of PHP5,000 monthly on food expenses.
Divina Jose, the training coordinator at BPI-CAR, pointed out that the Cordillera region, which transports 80 percent of its vegetables to other areas, faces unique challenges due to its highly urbanized environments with limited space for food production. She told participants that urban agriculture is essential not only for food security but also for addressing health issues like malnutrition and obesity.
Gerardo Banawa, DA-CAR's coordinator for the corn program and president of PAA-CAR, mentioned plans to expand the initiative by partnering with more schools to promote urban gardening among students, thereby enhancing the region's overall food sustainability.
Participants expressed enthusiasm for the skills they acquired, noting the simplicity and accessibility of urban gardening. Shenandoah Wanawan, a 17-year-old student, reflected on the importance of the training, emphasizing its role in both food production and environmental protection. Fellow student Martha Lindsey Mango shared her newfound appreciation for reducing waste and the potential long-term benefits of her interest in planting.