URBAN Farming has found its way to the highland resort.
An initial 15 villages have been identified as agricultural and with city gardeners which will be highlighted in the month-long celebration of “Urban Farmers’ Month.”
Agriculturist II Marcelina Tabilin said out of the 128 barangays in the city, Happy Hallow, Lucnab, Irisan, Camp 7, Sto Tomas Proper, Sto Tomas Central, Pucsusan, Loakan Proper, Pinget, Pinsao Pilot, Pinsao Proper, Dontogan, Loakan Liwanag, Loakan Apugan, Bakakeng Norte and Balacbac has been identified by her office to have urban gardeners.
Tabilin said the plan is to expand the list and identify more areas which have urban gardeners in order to strengthen advocates in the city.
The Baguio City Council has approved an ordinance declaring May as Urban Farmers Month to increase awareness on the agriculture sector's projects among farmers and residents.
Yangot, chair for the committee on market trade, commerce and agriculture said city urban gardening has started to flourish.
Tabilin said a monitoring of vegetable products produced by city farmers is now being monitored, though small, is a significant activity of the city which is transitioning to urban gardens.
The mountain city can now boast to produce sweet strawberries with the Sto. Tomas Bilis Farmers Association headed by Solomon Lang-ay are preparing to open an almost three hectare farmland for tourists to enjoy in the outskirts of the Pine City.
The group of farmers from Sito Bilis in Sto. Tomas central have started to propagate cutflowers, strawberries, cabbage, lettuce, pechay and carrots enough for their families and to sell to the open market.
For the entire month of May, activities will include lecture series on urban gardening and vermi-composting in various venues, good agricultural practices by the Department of Agriculture-CAR, Search for Best Edible Backyard/Home Garden, and a farmers’ summit.
During the month long celebration, an an agri-tourism fair featured with a showcase of agricultural products produced by the different urban garden practitioners in the different barangays in the city; specialized exhibition for livestock farming, horse breeding and veterinary medicine, organic - specialized exhibition for organic products and technologies; specialized exhibition for fishing and fish farming; display of recycled/zero waste products; showcase of urban gardening practices/concepts; product demonstrations, audio-visual presentations and seminars on apiary (beekeeping), mushroom production, fermentation, lagundi syrup, production of banana burger patties, baking of herbal breads and others.