With the growing challenges of inflation, food insecurity and rapid urbanization, the city government of San Pedro City, Laguna under Mayor Art Mercado is betting on urban agriculture to stabilize its food supply.
Recently, the City Agriculture Office, in partnership with the office of Councilor Carlon Ambayec, conducted a series of training seminars on SNAP Hydroponics Production for a total of 76 beneficiaries of its Lettuce Production program, on March 21 and 24.
Suited for urbanized areas
The training conducted is in line with the national government’s National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP), a program that aims to ensure food security and lower food prices through fostering farming in urbanized areas.
“Since urbanized na po talaga ang San Pedro City, ito po ang nakikita naming angkop na paraan ng pagtatanim para sa ating lungsod, especially po dahil maliliit na po ang spaces natin para sa agriculture,” officials of the City Agriculture Office explained to OpinYon Laguna.
Aside from beneficiaries chosen by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) regional office, winners of past "Search for Outstanding SmART Urban Farming Community and Household" contests were also included in the training sessions.
“Lahat po ng sektor kasama dito; in fact, ine-encourage po natin sa bawat barangay dito sa ating lungsod kung sino man po ang gustong matuto ng urban farming. Pero karamihan po sa mga nakibahagi sa ating mga seminar ay mga senior citizen,” officials added.
The training seminars focused on the proper technique on sowing lettuce seeds and transplanting of seedlings through hydroponics, a farming method that uses water-based nutrient solutions in an artificial environment in place of soil.
“Marami pong naging katanungan ang ating mga participants ukol sa tamang pag-aalaga ng mga tanim through hydroponics, since water-based solution po ang gamit sa hydroponics,” officials explained.
Alternative means of income
To recall, the city government of San Pedro also donated three sets of greenhouses with hydroponics to Sampaguita Village Elementary School in Barangay Sampaguita, Harmony Homeowners Association in Barangay Maharlika, and Elvinda Homeowners Association in Barangay Fatima last year.
At the time, City Agriculture Office head Loyola underscored that the program's aim is to ultimately encourage every San Pedrense to engage in urban agriculture in their own backyards.
“Ang target natin dito ay magkaroon ang bawat San Pedrense ng food production na makasasapat sa pangangailangan nila, right in their own backyard, tapos yung excess, yun yung pwede nilang pagkakitaan," Loyola had told OpinYon Laguna.
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