Pilot projects on urban gardening in Iloilo City’s 7 districts will be launched this September.
Assistant Secretary Hansel Didulo of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said that Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has been collaborating with the DA’s projects on food security under the “Plant, Plant, Plant” program.
The gardens, locally called “laguerta” refer to cultivated parcels of land planted to alogbate, tomatoes, eggplants, squash or other vegetables.
ASec. Didulo said the “showcase gardens might consist of areas from 50 to 100 square meters.” The launching was reset this month after Iloilo City reverted to GCQ last August 16.
“The pilot projects would be in Dungon-B, Jaro; Magsaysay, Lapaz; Gen. Hughes, city proper; Compania, Molo; Loboc, Lapuz; and Dulonan, Arevalo,” ASec. Didulo announced.
He explained that the DA would provide seeds, garden tools and other inputs, to include the training on soil preparation and vegetable growing.
The LGU through the city agriculture office would identify the area and participant farmers to the project, according to ASec. Didulo.
The urban gardening projects have been launched earlier in Roxas City, Capiz, and in Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental.*