Trece Martires, Cavite (PIA) – A new community garden was unveiled in Dasmariñas City to encourage households and communities to grow fruits and vegetables from their backyards.
The establishment of a community garden in Barangay Langkaan 2 in Dasmariñas City on July 20 also marked the regional launch of the Department of Interior and Local Government-Calabarzon’s HAPAG (Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay) program.
Dasmariñas Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga welcomed the DILG’s community project noting that it was in support of the city government’s food security efforts which they started during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A project by the DILG in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, the community gardens encourage residents to plant fruits and vegetables in the barangay and other open backyard spaces to address food insecurity by providing alternative and sustainable sources of nutritious food for Filipino families.
Director Ariel Iglesia of the DILG in Region IV-A said the HAPAG community garden complements the department’s anti-illegal drugs BIDA (Buhay Natin Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan) program.
“Naniniwala tayo na ang epekto ng iligal na droga, gutom, at kahirapan ay magkakaugnay,” Iglesia said.
Meanwhile, Redeliza Gruezo, DA field operations division chief, said the barangay community gardens will help families living in non-traditional food production communities to be resilient.
She noted that community gardens provide safe and nutritious food to household members, create alternative livelihood and help in solid waste management.
Launched in January 2023, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. asked barangays nationwide to create community gardens to promote sustainable agriculture initiatives. (Ruel Francisco, PIA-Cavite)