Fernandino health workers urged to engage in urban agriculture

HEALTH workers from all barangays of the City of San Fernando were urged to engage in urban agriculture during the technical briefing on container farming and edible landscaping for health centers launched here on Wednesday, July 11.

The activity was organized by the City Agriculture and Veterinary Office (CAVO), in partnership with the City Health Office (CHO), in line with this year’s Nutrition Month celebration.

During the program, the participants were oriented on the different methodologies of farming from land preparation to harvesting. They also underwent hands-on training on container farming with the assistance of CAVO personnel.

Agricultural extension worker Claudette Mendoza said that after the seminar, all health centers will be joining the best in edible landscaping contest. Each will be adjudged based on vegetable clustering such as pakbet variety, chopsuey variety, salad garden, go, glow and grow garden and combination of herbal and medicinal garden.

“This is the first time we will do this in health centers so we will conduct weekly monitoring and documentation to guide them well. We will first give them the farm inputs and after 45 days judging will be done on their gardens,” she added.

For his part, Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago expressed his gratitude to the different sectors in the community who are now becoming part of urban agriculture which is the key to sustainable development.

“Urban farming may not be totally for commercial profitability but it will surely raise consumption of locally produced fruits and vegetables thus enhance food security. It also greatly contributes to local economic development, poverty alleviation and the realization of our dream to create a Green City,” he explained. (PR)