In Davao, gardens seen key to food security

DAVAO CITY—From garages, parking areas, sidewalks, balconies, decks and walls of schools and offices to the rooftop of a City Hall building, “container” gardens will sprout under a food security plan being prepared by the city agriculture office (CAO).

Mayor Sara Duterte has thrown support to the CAO proposal to turn the city into an urban organic garden as part of the local government’s program to encourage residents to produce safe and sufficient food. The idea is in line with food security, one of her priority programs, she said.

“We want to make sure that people, especially our children, do not go hungry. Our objective is to come up with programs that will ensure that Davaoeños have enough food to eat,” Duterte said.

The mayor has agreed to convert the rooftop of City Hall’s annex building into a model organic garden, where residents can learn the “science and art of safe food production and enjoy urban green space.”

City agriculturist Leo Brian Leutero said his office was encouraging residents to go into “organic container gardening,” using empty cans, plastics bags or pots for growing safe vegetables “in a cheap and sustainable way.”

“The project aims to develop the mentality among residents that they can still plant organic vegetables even if their spaces are very limited,” Leutero said. They can grow organic vegetables, herbs and spices in their homes or offices, and even in garages, parking areas, sidewalks, balconies, decks and even the bare walls, he said.

The CAO is coordinating with the Department of Agriculture to push through with the plan.  Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao