URBAN GARDENING PROGRAM – Adopt C.O.V.I.D. strategy to get you started!

Coronavirus or COVID-19 have indeed impacted our daily lives so deep that even our local government started to worry on food sustainability in the coming days. The interruption in the flow of our food chain supply is one of the major effect of Enhanced Community Quarantine or lockdown.

Thus, our Cooperative, ROADRACTSC, and our neighbors came up with an idea of clearing the grassy center island in our street. We decided and finally started urban Gardening. An idea which yours truly suggested as one of the programs under “Damayang Kooperatiba.” It was fully supported by Councilor Clarissel Campana, a project to be adopted by the General Trias City Cooperative Development Council (CCDC), in support to the Department of Agriculture’s “Urban-Agricultural Gardening Program.” DA intensifies urban agri through veggie seed distribution amid COVID-19.

“Where the public is encourage to join the urban agriculture program to ensure a continuous supply of home-grown nutritious vegetables on the tables of every Filipino households.” – Secretary DAR

We may also adopt the acronym COVID to Gardening!

C – COOPERATIVES and the whole Community are encourage to do urban gardening, this is to ensure that we will have enough food supply in the near future.

O – ORGANIZE your vacant lots or make use of containers, bottles, or old pots and pans as substitute

V – VEGETABLES that are easy to grow should be in your choices such as Pechay, Mustasa, Labanos, Malunggay, Camote tops, Kangkong, Okra and many more. You can also add medicinal plants such as Insulin Plant and Oregano.

I – “I WILL START TODAY!” Start with you so that others will follow.

D – DEVELOP THE DESIRE to do Urban Gardening. And always look at the END in mind. That is a sustainable food source!

HOW WE DID IT?

At first, it would seem impossible to start gardening on a grassy, rocky land. So we started by clearing the 16 sqm. Lot area on the center island in front of our house. In some places, you may ask permission to do so.