Villar SIPAG trains Baseco residents on urban gardening

Sen. Cynthia Villar led the launching today of the training program on urban gardening for Baseco residents.

Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) partnered with SM Foundation to hold the seminar called Kabalikat at Kabuhayan Urban Gardening at Gasangan, Bgy. 649, Baseco, Tondo, Manila.

For 12 weeks, around 150 Baseco residents will be trained by trainors from Macondray Plastics Products, Inc. on the basic of urban agriculture, seed preparation, plant propagation, sustainable cropping, garden management and proper harvesting.

"Addressing hunger, poor nutrition and food insecurity is crucial that is why agriculture should not only be found in the rural areas, it should be practiced even in limited spaces in urban areas," Villar, director of Villar SIPAG, said.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture said it is high time to institutionalize urban agriculture taking into account its benefit to urban poor and urban households. She authored Senate Bill No. 141 or the Integrated Urban Agriculture Act of 2016.

Urban agriculture refers to the practice of cultivating, processing and distribution of food in or around a village, town, or city including animal husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry and horticulture. It includes practices such as urban farming, vertical farming and community gardens.

"Urban agriculture contributes to the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies, enrich the urban environment, increase availability of fresh, perishable food and create opportunities for waste recycling," Villar said.

The Baseco trainees also held a clean up and planted mangrove seedlings in the area together with personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and aquatic Resources, and Metro Manila Development Authority.