The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) regional office here, in partnership with the city agriculture office, is implementing a gardening program in the northern part of the city.

Dubbed as “Buhay sa Gulay”, this project aims to ensure a sufficient supply of food in the city, aside from providing the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) a more stable income, DAR said in a statement on Thursday.

“Buhay sa Gulay” is a project of DAR that seeks to promote the importance of urban farming and empower urban dwellers to try alternative sources of income by producing and selling fresh vegetables.

The DAR will provide the farmers with garden tools and other farming materials, while the city agriculture office is tasked to provide the seeds and training.

The vegetable garden is implemented in a portion of the 23-hectare lot covered by a collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) in New Kawayan village.

“Fast-yielding crops such as kangkong, pechay, lettuce, okra and pipino will be cultivated in a one-hectare lot being managed by the 20 members of the New Kawayan-Cabalawan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers’ Association,” DAR said

ARB beneficiary, Sonny Colete, 46, whose lot is used as a demonstration farm, said this is an opportunity for them to be assisted in developing their lots.
Before becoming a demo farm, Colote said his farm was devoted to planting cassava while some portion remained idle.

Farmers are making 60 plots and started planting seedlings in their assigned plots on Thursday. They are expected to start harvesting their crops by the end of February. (PNA)

Photo Credit: www.dar.gov.ph