Mindanaotoday.com | More communal gardens established in Normin via GUGMA Program
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – With the main goal of promoting gardening and ensuring consistent food accessibility for urban communities, the Partnership and Accreditation Section (PAS) of the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC)-10 recently launched and initiated a series of Go Urban Gardening: Making Food Available (GUGMA) Program in key cities in Northern Mindanao.
Such a project is in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP). Through the introduction of urban and peri-urban agriculture, GUGMA sought to empower individuals and communities with the knowledge and resources needed to cultivate their own food in urban settings.
The GUGMA Program commenced its implementation in communal gardens, marking the start of a transformative journey from July to October.
The targeted cities for the implementation of the GUGMA Program this year included Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Malaybalay City, El Salvador City, and Gingoog City, said Senior Agriculturist Javier P. Andalan. In each of these urban centers, GUGMA’s mission was met with enthusiasm and strong support from local agriculturists, focal persons, and public officials. Their endorsement underscored the growing importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture in addressing food security challenges.
One of the program’s most impactful components was the training provided to the 175 aspiring gardeners. This training covered essential techniques for successful gardening in an urban environment and the art of making fermented plant juices to enhance crop yields. Armed with such essential knowledge, these urban gardeners were better equipped to contribute to the sustainability of their communities.
Recognizing and rewarding active participation and engagement, the GUGMA Program acknowledged individuals who demonstrated a profound understanding of the ATI and the NUPAP Program. These enthusiastic learners were given pinakbet seeds and load cards, which not only served as incentives but also as a gesture of appreciation for their commitment to sustainable urban agriculture.
The culmination of this inspiring journey is set to be a series of graduation ceremonies, conducted separately in the last week of October until the second week of November in each of the aforementioned cities. These events will mark the successful completion of the GUGMA Program and the beginning of a new era of urban gardening and food accessibility, paving the way for more sustainable and resilient urban communities. (ATI-10/PIA-10)
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