Aside from seriously addressing our health concerns, COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize the fundamental importance of food security \u2013 of being able to produce our own food in case the food industry sector fails to provide our daily needs. But with at least 55% of the population living in the urban areas, how do we actually get to produce our own food when all we have are concrete slabs, limited open spaces, and skyscraping buildings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Urban\nFood Gardening Ordinance of Cebu City<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To address perennial issues on poverty and food security, as well as improve health and preserve the environment, Cebu City is now recognizing the integral role of urban agriculture in improving the economy, environment, and health of the city. By establishing an \u201curban food gardening\u201d program in the barangay level, communities are thereby helped in addressing long-term resilience and food security not only in this daunting time of corona virus pandemic but as well as in facing disasters such as fire, flood, typhoon, and other natural and man-made calamities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While its primary function is to feed people, urban gardening is also now seen as a \u201cnecessary adaptation\u201d method and is \u201ccritical to survival\u201d in many cities and countries worldwide because of the ongoing change in climate. Hence, a city ordinance was proposed by Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon last June 10 \u2013 requiring barangays to allocate a portion of their jurisdiction for the establishment of food gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How\nto go about with Food Gardening in Cebu City<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In\nthis proposed ordinance by Councilor Alvin Dizon, barangays Cebu City\nmay choose various forms of urban gardening like in the rooftop,\nwindow, vertical or wall, pots and small container, plots,\nhydroponics, and air plant. <\/strong>Likewise,\nmethods of organic community gardening must promote environmental\nsustainability practices and must not adversely affect livability of\nsurrounding neighborhood in terms of water, chemical, pesticide, and\nother harmful contaminants. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\nthis draft proposed by the Cebu City Councilor, the Agriculture\nOffice of Cebu City is tasked to spearhead the implementation of this\nurban gardening program and identify the \u2018green spaces\u2019 in each\nbarangay. The Association of Barangay Council, on the other hand, is\nalso delegated to oversee the development of these \u201cadopted lots\u201d.\nPrior to implementation, an inventory of city and private-owned lots\nthat will be used for urban gardening must also be conducted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benefits\nfrom Urban Food Gardening<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from establishing food security in the community, barangays and home gardens with best practices that promote sustainable and eco-friendly urban food gardening methods will be granted with cash incentives during the annual recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\naddition, an annual Farmer\u2019s Week of the Cebu City Government will\nalso held to encourage barangays and households to participate and\nshowcase their produce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aside from seriously addressing our health concerns, COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize the fundamental importance of food security \u2013 of being able to produce our own food in case the food industry sector fails to provide our daily needs. But with at least 55% of the population living in the urban areas, how do […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":14499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2837,2906],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n