By Allied Botanical Corporation
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Dar commended ABC and other company-members of the Philippine Seed Industry Association’s (PSIA) efforts to showcase technology on urban agriculture during the launch of Gulayan sa Syudad on 12 March 2021 in Luneta Park. Secretary Dar led the project’s ribbon-cutting and ceremonial harvesting.
The project is implemented under a tripartite agreement between DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), PSIA, and National Parks Development Committee (NPDC).
It emphasizes the role of urban agriculture in alleviating poverty and addressing food supply insufficiency and promoting environment-friendly and innovative methods in farming. As the project also aims to underscore the significance of urban gardening amid a global pandemic, Dar said that the effort to produce food is as important as the fight against Covid-19.
Moreover, Dar said that the project provides a good learning experience for the communities about farming and urban gardening. He expressed his hope for its continued implementation and recommended to NPDC to allocate permanent areas for urban gardens. He further committed that the DA will fully support the Local Farmer’s Market every weekend through the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita project.
Secretary Dar also joined NPDC Executive Director Cecille Lorenzana Romero,
DA Asec Noel Reyes, and DA BPI Assistant Dir. Glenn Panganiban in the ceremonial harvesting, where they harvested some Condor varieties in the ABC’s urban vegetable garden.
ABC showcases some of its top-performing varieties in the lowland and easy-to-grow crops suitable for urban setting in a 150 square-meter vegetable garden in Luneta Park. Some of the hybrid varieties include hot pepper Pinatubo F1, cucumber Super C F1, eggplant Warhawk F1, panigang pepper Panigang Best F1, sweet corn Hi-Brix XL F1, tomato Fantastic F1, and ampalaya Trident Improved F1.
Fast-growing crops like lettuce, pakchoi, pechay, and herbs were also planted in the edible garden.
ABC Research and Development Manager Mr. Herlo Atole conducted a lecture about the basics of urban gardening.
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