Philippines: Department of Agrarian Reform scales up urban farming after first ‘Buhay sa Gulay’ harvest
The project ‘Buhay sa Gulay’ aims to promote urban farming, reduce poverty, and eradicate hunger, particularly in marginalized urban barangays in the National Capital Region as the Covid-19 pandemic shut down opportunities and livelihood.
By Marita Moaje
Philippines News Agency
Jan 2, 2021
MANILA – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) scaled up urban farming in Manila after its ‘Buhay sa Gulay’ project had its first harvest of fresh vegetables in St. John Bosco Parish in Tondo, Manila on Sunday.
DAR Secretary John Castriciones said the ‘harvest festival’ was a result of the national government, the local government, the church, the private sector, and the community coming together and uniting for a cause.
“Natutuwa ako dahil ipinakita dito na pwedeng magtulungan ang simbahan at ang gobyerno para makatulong sa taong bayan (I am happy because this shows that the church and the government can work together to help the people),” Castriciones said in an interview.
The crops that were planted on the first week of December and were harvested on Sunday were mustard (mustasa), snow cabbage (pechay), Chinese kangkong and spinach.
Before the month ends, Castriciones said they are expecting to harvest squash and bottle gourd (upo).
