Urban Garden pinasinayaan ni Sen. Villar  

PINASINAYAAN na ni Sen. Cynthia Villar ang urban garden sa Las Piñas City bilang senyales ng paglulunsad sa urban agriculture project.

Ang 36-square meter na hardin sa BF Resort Subdivision ay may tanim na tatlong uri ng lettuce at isang pond ng pulang tilapia.

Sinabi ni Villar, chairperson ng  Senate Committee on  Agriculture and Food,   ang hardin ay “showcase” ng mas marami pang hardin na tutulungan niyang mai-set up sa urban areas sa buong bansa.

Ito ay sa pakikipagtulungan sa Senate Agriculture Committee, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources at Bureau of Plant Industry.

“Urban agriculture is a practice that will help us make wise use of open spaces in subdivisions and barangays. This is not only farming for the needs of the community. Later on, this will also be a source of income for the neighborhood,” tiniyak ng senador.

Bukod sa pagtatanim ng food crops, sinabi niya na kabilang din sa urban agriculture ang aquaculture.

“The benefits to the community are numerous. Not only does urban farming provide a green space in the community it also makes use of kitchen wastes as compost and used water to irrigate the soil,” ani Villar.

“Urban agriculture while encouraging healthy eating habits can also help build harmonious relationship among  neighbors. This is a shared project that will benefit the whole community,” dagdag niya.

Makaraan ang bagyong Yolanda, kaakibat ang Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance), itinaguyod niya ang “vegetable gardening” sa mga apektadong komunidad. 

Namudmod sila ng vegetable seeds at coconut seedlings bilang tulong sa mga nakaligtas sa super typhoon.  

Dahil dito, sinabi ni Villar na ang urban agriculture ay nagiging popular na, hindi lamang dito sa ating bansa kundi pati na rin sa ibang bansa.

Kahit sa napaka-metropolitan na cities katulad ng New York at iba pang European cities, sinabi ni Villar na ang mga residente roon ay may vegetable gardens na sa kanilang mga tirahan.

“They find ways even if they live in small apartments or condominium units,” sabi ng senador.