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44th NUTRITION MONTH

JULY 2018

TALKING POINTS

National Nutrition Council


Email: info@nnc.gov.ph Website: www.nnc.gov.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nncofficial
Twitter: @NNC_official
2018 NUTRITION MONTH
TALKING POINTS

CONTENTS PAGE

I. What is Nutrition Month? 3


II. What is the theme of the 2018 Nutrition Month? 3
III. What are the objectives of the 2018 Nutrition Month? 3
IV. Why focus on food gardening? 3
V. What is the situation on food gardening? 7
VI. What is a food garden? 7
VII. What are the benefits of having food gardens? 8
VIII. What are the problems of having food gardens and how can these 12
be addressed?
IX. What are some of the technologies in food gardening? 15
X. What are the basic steps in establishing a food garden? 18
XI. How can food gardening contribute to a family’s income and 25
livelihood?
XII. What are some of the successful food gardening projects in the 29
Philippines?
XIII. What are the recommended actions to promote food gardening? 31
XIV. What are ways to celebrate the 2018 Nutrition Month? 31

References 33
Annex - Most common local vegetables in the Philippines 36

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 2


2018 NUTRITION MONTH TALKING POINTS
Theme: Ugaliing magtanim, sapat na nutrisyon aanhin!

I. What is Nutrition Month?

Nutrition Month is a yearly campaign held every July to create greater awareness among
Filipinos on the importance of nutrition. Presidential Decree 491 or the Nutrition Act of
the Philippines mandates the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to lead and coordinate
the nationwide campaign.

II. What is the theme of the 2018 Nutrition Month?

Every year, the NNC Technical Committee chooses a theme to highlight an important
and timely concern in nutrition. This year, the selected focus of the Nutrition Month
campaign is on food gardening. The NNC conducted a theme writing ang logo design
contest where the best entries were shortlisted and submitted to the NNC Technical
Committee for referendum. The chosen theme is “Ugaliing magtanim, sapat na
nutrisyon aanihin!” The entry of Ms. Julie Ann Q. Colipano of Valencia City, Bukidnon
was chosen out of 142 entries generated nationwide. For the logo, the entry sent by
Architect Ricky R. Mojica of Indang, Cavite was chosen. The logo depicts a family
cultivating a family food garden, a picture that the NNC hopes Filipinos would turn into
reality.

III. What are the objectives of the 2018 Nutrition Month?

The Nutrition Month campaign aims to contribute to improved nutrition through


improved food access by increasing the number of households, schools, and
communities engaged in food gardens. Specifically, it aims to:

1. Encourage development of food gardens among families and in communities,


schools, government offices, and workplaces; and,

Mobilize various stakeholders to provide a fostering environment for sustainable food


gardens.

IV. Why focus on food gardening?

1. Prevent micronutrient deficiencies through diet diversification

According to the 8th National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and
Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-
DOST) in 2013, there is improvement in the situation among Filipinos of various

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 3


population groups when it comes to micronutrient status. However, some
continue to be affected by deficiencies in micronutrients, particularly of iron,
iodine and Vitamin A (Figure 1). Among population groups, anemia in infants six
to 11 months old is highest at 40 percent. According to the WHO classification, it
remains a severe problem of public health significance. The prevalence of anemia
in older children, one to 5 years old and the six to 12 years old, as well as in
pregnant women and lactating mothers is less than 40 percent. Vitamin A
deficiency disorders (VADD) in infants six to 11 months old at 27.9 percent is also a
severe problem of public health significance while prevalence in children one to
five years old, pregnant women and lactating mothers is moderate and
considered a mild problem of public health significance. Iodine deficiency
disorders (IDD) also continue to be a problem among pregnant and lactating
women, with a prevalence of 27.0 percent and 34.3 percent, respectively. Both
prevalence rates indicate that it is still a public health problem for both groups
surpassing the IDD elimination cut-off of 20 percent. The prevalence in children
six to 12 years old at 16.4 percent, however, is no longer a public health problem.

Figure 1. Prevalence of anemia, Vitamin A and iodine deficiency across


population groups, NNS 2013, DOST-FNRI
45
40.5
40
34.3
35

30 27.9 27 6-11 mos


24.6
25 1-5 y/o
19.6 6-12 y/o
20 16.7 16.4
11.3
Pregnant
15
11.1 Lactating
9
10
5
5
0 0 0
0
Anemia Vitamin A Deficiency Iodine Deficiency

2. Reduce food insecurity or food poverty

Household food security is an essential measure of nutritional status and health.


Data from the National Nutrition Surveys show that the percent of households
with daily intake below the recommended 100% dietary energy requirement,
actually increased from 57% in 2003 to 66.9% in 2008.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 4


Figure 2. Proportion of Filipino households with per capita intake below 100%
dietary energy requirement, 1993-2008
80
74.2 66.9
57

40

0
1993 2003 2013

Source: National Nutrition Surveys, DOST-FNRI.

Furthermore, the 2008 National Nutrition Surveys showed that 28.6% of


mothers/caregivers experienced food insecurity (Table 1). Among households,
72.7% were considered food insecure because they suffered anxiety that food
may run out before they can get money to buy more and/or food bought did not
last and they did not have enough money to get more at least once during the
past three months before the interview.

Table 1. Percentage of mothers/caregivers and children, and frequency of


experience of Food Insecurity during the past 3 months before the survey: 2008

Source: 2008 National Nutrition Survey, DOST-FNRI.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 5


The Family Income and Expenditure Survey in 2015 revealed that food poverty or
subsistence incidence was estimated at 8.1 percent. The figure is significantly lower
compared to 10% in 2012. Food poverty which is also the food threshold is the minimum
income required by an individual to meet his/her basic food needs and satisfy the
nutritional requirements set by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).

3. Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables

The consumption of vegetables and fruits among Filipinos is still low compared
to the World Health Organization recommendation of 400 grams of fruits and
vegetables per day. Per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables among
Filipinos in 2015 is only 37 grams and 123 grams per capita per day, respectively,
or a total of 160 grams per day.

Figure 3. Trends in the mean one-day per capita fruit and vegetable
consumption (g/day, raw, as purchased), NNS, DOST-FNRI, 1978-2015

300
249
250 232
218

200 183 183


165 164 160
155
145
150 130 123
104 102 107111 106 106 111 110 114
100 77 77
54 54
41 37
50

0
1978 1982 1987 1993 2001 2003 2008 2013 2015

Total (g/day, raw, as purchased) Fruit (g/day, raw, as purchased)


Vegatable (g/day, raw, as purchased)

4. Impact of food gardening to society


According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations,
food gardens address food and nutrition security by providing direct access to a
variety of nutritionally-rich foods; increase purchasing power from savings; generate
additional income; and provide fallback during disasters and seasonal lean periods.

Home food gardens are also established to:

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 6


1. reduce poverty;
2. diversify income and rural employment;
3. improve the quality and quantity of household food supply and improve
nutrition;
4. improve the status of women;
5. improve water and waste management at household and community
levels; and,
6. reduce pressure on wild food resources.

V. What is the situation on food gardening?


About 7 out of 10 households (67.7%) practice food gardening at home. Majority of
households with home gardens (79.1%) utilize their produce for personal consumption,
while only 17.6% were able to consume and sell their produce (Table 2).

Table 2: Percent households engaged in planting fruit trees and/or in vegetable


garden, poultry/livestock raising, fish pond/fish pen production, and utilization of the
produce in the Philippines, 2008 (n=36,439)
Utilization of produce
Home Food Production Percent of Both No
Household Commercial
Household Consumed Produce
Consumption Purposes
and Sold Yet
With vegetable garden 67.7 79.1 1.5 17.6 1.8
With poultry/livestock 50.1 46.4 13.9 37.5 2.1
With fishpond/fish pen 2.2 56.2 8.8 31.5 3.5
Source: 7th National Nutrition Survey, DOST-FNRI, 2008

VI. What is a food garden?

Food gardens refer to “an intimate, multi-storey combinations of various trees and
crops, sometimes in association with domestic animals, around homesteads, and add
that home garden cultivation is fully or partially committed for vegetables, fruits, and
herbs, primarily for domestic consumption and secondary for additional household
income.”2 Sustainable food production such as food gardens may also give focus
towards livestock raising, which is the rearing of animals like cows and small animals like
chickens, goats and ducks, and raised in an agricultural setting to produce labor and
commodities (meat, eggs, or milk). Food gardens tend to be located close to dwelling for
security, convenience, and special care. They occupy a land marginal to field production
and labor marginal to major household economic activities.3

2
Kumar BM, Nair PKR: The enigma of tropical homegardens. Agrofor Syst 2004, 61:35–152.
3
Galhena, D., Freed, R., & Maredia, K. M. (2013). Home gardens: A promising approach to enhance household food
security and wellbeing. Agriculture & Food Security, 2(1), 8. doi:10.1186/2048-7010-2-8

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 7


Alternatively, food gardens are also called the following: mixed-garden horticulture,
house garden, compound farm garden, kitchen garden, household garden, and
homestead agroforestry.

Food gardens have six intrinsic characteristics4:


1. Are located near the residence
2. Contain a high diversity of plants
3. May include domesticated animals that produce labor and commodities
4. Production is supplemental rather than a main source of family consumption
and income
5. Occupy a small area
6. A production system that the poor can easily enter at some level

In addition, the general practices with respect to food gardens are based on 15 type-
specific characteristics as shown in Table 3. 5

Table 3. Characteristics of a Food Garden


Characteristic General Practice
Species density High
Species type Staples, vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, livestock
Production objective Primary: Home consumption
Secondary: Additional household income
Labor source Family (women, elderly, children)
Labor requirements Part-time
Harvest frequency Daily, seasonal
Space utilization Horizontal and vertical
Location Near dwelling
Cropping pattern Irregular and row
Technology Simple hand tools
Input-cost Low
Distribution Rural and urban areas
Skills Gardening, farming, and horticultural skills
Assistance None or minor

VII. What are the benefits of having food gardens?

Food gardens have been an integral part of local food systems in many developing
countries around the world. Numerous studies provide descriptive evidence and

4
Leiva JM, Azurdia C, Ovando W, López E, Ayala H: Contribution of Home Gardens to in situ Conservation in
Traditional Farming Systems—Guatemalan Component. Witzenhausen, Germany: Paper presented at Proceedings
of the Second International Home Gardens Workshop; 2001
5
Niñez VK: Household gardens: theoretical and policy considerations. Agr Syst 1987, 23:167–186

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 8


analysis of food gardens in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and pinpoint their benefits to
communities and families. Primarily, food gardens are intended to grow and produce
food items for family and community consumption, but they can also be diversified to
produce outputs that have multiple benefits. Among these benefits are the following:

1. Improve nutritional status

Food gardens supplement a staple-based diet with a significant portion of


proteins, vitamins, and minerals leading to an enriched and balanced diet 6 as
they offer a cheap source of nutritive foods.7 Having a food garden at home may
lead to at least 18% of the caloric and 14% of the protein consumption by a
household. 8 Food gardens have been instrumental in reducing ‘hidden hungers’
and diseases caused by micronutrient deficiency. Table 4 displays the likely
micronutrient increases from the consumption of produce harvested from food
gardens.

Table 4. Micronutrient quantity from vegetable sources


Nutrient Quantity Vegetable Sources
Vitamin A >2000 IU Amaranth (kulitis), dark green leafy vegetables,
kangkong, lettuce, carrots
B Vitamins >17 mg/g Legumes, taro (gabi), and horseradish leaves
Vitamin C >20 mg/g Amaranth, squash, cabbage, bell peppers,
tomato, and bitter gourd (ampalaya)
Calcium (Ca) >20 mg/g Amaranth, lettuce, mustard, spinach, beans,
onion, cabbage, soybeans
Iron (Fe) >3mg/g Amaranth, dark green leafy vegetables, lettuce,
spinach, chilli peppers

2. Improve household food security

Food gardens have been a fundamental food source for heavily degraded and
densely populated areas as well as those that have limited access to resources. 9
Studies have shown that food insecure families often depended more on food
gardens for their food staples and secondary staples than those endowed with a

6
Torquebiau E: Are tropical agroforestry gardens sustainable?. Agric Ecosyst Environ. 1992, 41: 189-207.
10.1016/0167-8809(92)90109-O.
7
Abdoellah OS, Gunawan B, Hadikusumah HY: Home Gardens in the Upper Citarum Watershed, West Java: A
Challenge for in situ Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources. Witzenhausen, Germany: Paper presented at
Proceedings of the Second International Home Gardens Workshop; 2001.
8
Ochse JJ, Terra GJA: Research on the Economic and Agricultural Condition and Food Consumption in
Koetowinangoen. Landbouw. The Netherlands: Publisher unknown; 1934:10.
9
Soemarwoto O, Conway GR: The Javanese homegarden. J Farming Syst Res Ext. 1991, 2 (3): 95-118.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 9


fair amount of assets and resources such as land and capital. 10 Since food
gardens ensure a reliable and convenient source of food, fiber, and fuel for the
family, they are viewed as a robust food system in circumstances where
population pressures and numerous resource limitation persist.11

3. Increase availability of food and better nutrition through food diversity

The production of fruits and vegetables provides the household with direct
access to important nutrients that may not be readily available or within their
economic reach. In addition, home gardening increases the diversity of foods,
which in turn leads to overall better utilization of nutrients. Vegetables and fruits
often make other foods more palatable and can lead to overall increase food
intake and in their aim to improve overall quality of the diet, home gardens
address multiple micronutrient deficiencies simultaneously. 12

4. Increase local biodiversity

Home gardens serve as the primary unit that initiates and utilizes ecological
friendly approaches for food production while conserving biodiversity and
natural process. Home gardens are usually diverse and contain a rich
composition of plant and animal species.14 Because of the variety of food, these
gardens boost their ecological benefits through nutrient cycling. 15 To enrich the
feeds and produce, food gardens are also able to provide a number of ecosystem
services such as habitats for animals and other benefits such as enhanced
pollination.16

10
Moreno-Black G, Somansang P, Thamathawan S: Cultivating continuity and creating change: woman’s home
garden practices in northeastern Thailand. Agr Hum Val 1996, 13(3):3–11. AND Asfaw Z, Woldu Z: Crop
associations of home gardens in Welayta and Gurage in southern Ethiopia. Ethiopian J Sci 1997, 20:73–90.
11
Salam MA, Babu KS, Mohana KN: Home garden agriculture in Kerala revisited. Food Nutr Bull. 1994, 16 (3): 220-
223.
12
Talukder, Aminuzamman & Pee, Saskia & Taher, A & Hall, Andrew & Moench-Pfanner, Regina & Bloem, Martin.
(2001). Improving food and nutrition security through homestead gardening in rural, urban and periurban areas in
Bangladesh. Improving Food and Nutrition Security Through Homestead Gardening in Rural, Urban and Peri-urban
Areas in Bangladesh.
14
Blanckaert I, Swennen RL, Paredes Flores M, Rosas López R, Lira SR: Floristic composition, plant uses and
management practices in homegardens of San Rafael Coxcatlán. Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, México. J Arid
Environ. 2004, 57: 39-62.
15
Gajaseni J, Gajaseni N: Ecological rationalities of the traditional homegarden system in the Chao Phraya Basin,
Thailand. Agrofor Syst. 1999, 46: 3-23. 10.1023/A:1006188504677.
16
Pushpakumara DKNG, Wijesekara A, Hunter DG: Kandyan homegardens: A promising land management system
in Sri Lanka. Sustainable use of Biological Diversity in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes. Background to the
‘Satoyama Initiative for the Benefit of Biodiversity and Human Well-being’. Edited by: Bélair C, Ichikawa K, Wong
BYL, Mulongoy KJ. 2010, Montreal, Canada: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 10


5. Alleviate food shortages during disaster

Home gardens have been proposed as an option for food and nutritional security
during disaster, conflict, and other post-crisis situations.17 In recent years,
several countries transitioning towards peace and stability and those that are
recovering from natural disasters have been adopting policies that support home
gardening to reduce the prevalence and severity of hunger and malnutrition. 18

6. Increase household income

Food gardens contribute to income generation, improved livelihoods, and


household economic welfare as well as promoting entrepreneurship and
development.19 This can be recognized through several methods, such as: (1)
selling garden products to earn additional income, (2) developing a small cottage
industry through gardening activities, (3) Diverting earnings from food garden
sales into household savings or converted to other income that can be used for
domestic purposes.

Home gardens are widely promoted in many countries as a mechanism to avert


poverty and as a source of income for subsistence families in developing
countries. Although home gardens are viewed as subsistence-low production
systems, they can be structured to be more efficient commercial enterprises by
growing high-value crops and animal husbandry.20

7. Offer opportunities for women, youth, elderly, and the disabled


In many developing countries, women and children undertake vegetable
production. The promotion of food gardens requires that more women and
youth are involved through marketing and money management. This enables
women to be more self-sufficient, independent, increase their capabilities of
looking after their family, and improve their social status. For persons with
disabilities and elderly, food gardens offer various opportunities as well.
Although gardening requires physical mobility, this can be altered by choosing
the type of crops to grow, where and when they are grown. Moreover, many of

17
Marsh R: Building on traditional gardening to improve household food security. Food Nutr Agr. 1998, 22: 4-14.
18
Galhena DH, Mikunthan G, Maredia KM: Home Gardens for Enhancing Food Security in Sri Lanka. Farming
Matters. 2012, 28 (2): 12.
19
Trinh LN, Watson JW, Hue NN, De NN, Minh NV, Chu P, Sthapit BR, Eyzaguirre PB: Agrobiodiversity conservation
and development in Vietnamese home gardens. Agric Ecosyst Environ. 2003, 97: 317-344. 10.1016/S0167-
8809(02)00228-1.
20
Ranasinghe TT: Manual of Low/No-Space Agriculture cum-Family Business Gardens. 2009, AN Leusden, The
Netherlands: RUAF Foundation

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the gardening and farming techniques are repetitive and can be adopted by
people with physical or mental disabilities. 21
8. Foster community mobilization
Because community gardens provide a social space for individuals to join
together, community organizing often results through the interactions. Many
studies have highlighted this effect and discussed how community garden
participants mobilized themselves and others within the larger community to
address larger community needs or push back against threats of losing garden
land.22

9. Health intervention
Many studies have found that gardening has many benefits to health. These
include a wide range of health outcomes, such as reductions in depression,
anxiety, and body mass index, physical activity levels as well as increases in life
satisfaction, quality of life, and sense of community23. Gardening increases
individual's life satisfaction, vigor, psychological wellbeing, sense of community,
and cognitive function. It has been reported that it can cause reductions in
stress, anger, fatigue, and depression and anxiety symptoms. In some literature,
“horticultural therapy” can serve as treatment or occupational therapy for those
with psychological health issues. Studies conclude that a regular dose of
gardening can improve health for the short and long-term.

VIII. What are the problems of having food gardens and how can these be addressed?

1. Lack of access to land and water

Across cultures, ownership of land appears to be a significant inducement to


gardening while landlessness, and tenant status have been identified as
constraints that effectively eliminate home gardening as a viable development
strategy. This can be especially experienced in the urban areas, where remote
settling and inaccessibility to soil becomes a challenge. Even where a family has
nominal access to land, the insecurity of their rights to such land may dissuade
the family from making any long-term investments in improving the land, such as
by planting trees, improving drainage, installing fencing or building a fishpond.
Informal settlers and families who occupy land merely with the permission of a
landlord (often the head of household’s employer) may even worry that their

21
Lifelihoods grow in gardens. Second edition. FAO diversification booklet 2 Chis Landon-Lane Rome
2011
22
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10705422.2010.519682?src=recsys&
23
Gardening is beneficial to health: A meta-analysis. Accessed from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5153451/

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improvement of the land they occupy may lead to eviction as others seek to cash
in on the investment. Thus, it is not only the quality and sufficiency of the land
itself, but the quality of the family’s right to control the land that are critical.

In addition, water deserves special consideration. In many environments, water


for food gardening is likely to be the most important consideration after land. In
some environments, water may be even more scarce than land and more
expensive to supply during the driest months of the year. Where water is scarce
throughout the year, its absence may preclude food gardening as a viable
strategy.

Solutions:

a. Lack of land
• By distributing relatively small landholdings to land-poor families
• Gardening technologies that can be grown in smaller spaces, such as:
vertical gardening, hydroponics, and container gardening, which will
be further discussed in section IX.

b. Lack of water
• Drought prone areas can use simple wells and artisanal irrigation
• Rainwater harvesting may be an affordable means of capturing,
storing and applying water for food gardens. Households may also
use household wastewater.
• Through water conservation strategies such as: terracing, trenching,
deep mulch and surface mulch (including living mulch and ground
cover creepers).
• Plant spacing and mulch may be used to conserve moisture
• Planting drought-tolerant plants

2. Lack of capital

Many homeowners are unwilling or unable to invest much capital towards food
gardens. An important limiting factor discussed in relation to capital is the use of
inputs to improve soil fertility. Lack of capital is likely to be more of a barrier to
food gardening where soils do not contain sufficient nutrients to support
gardening and where households are not familiar with composting and other
methods for improving soil fertility.

Solutions:
• Cut down cost by purchasing inexpensive gardening materials.
• Live fencing (e.g. malunggay trees, kakawate) instead of man-made
fences can be used to reduce costs. Plants used in fencing can also
provide additional products for household use or sale.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 13


• Participation in government programs through the Department of
Agriculture and agriculture offices of local government units for trainings,
seeds, planting materials; small animal dispersal and technical assistance.

3. Lack of knowledge and information on the benefits of food gardening

Many families are not aware that vegetables and fruits have significant
nutritional benefits. In a study of Philippine urban food gardens, it was found
that mothers generally had no knowledge of vitamins and iron in foods until
informed by community health workers. Before they learned about the
nutritional value of vegetables, some Filipino families mistakenly believed that
micronutrient tablets distributed by the government were more desirable than
consumption of vegetables, and that vegetables were the poor man’s substitute
for tablets.

Solution:
• Participation in nutrition education programs such as Pabasa sa
Nutrisyon
• Attendance to trainings and basic courses in food gardening by local
agriculture offices and the Department of Agriculture
• Emphasizing the benefits of food gardening towards food and nutrition
security as well as household income.

4. Lack of time

Many are hesitant to allocate their budgets to food gardening as a method of


food production since these take time. Families would rather procure processed
foods or fast foods which offer them convenience and affordability. Especially for
families in the urban setting, a fast-paced lifestyle has hindered them to do any
food gardening activity.

Solution:
• Food gardens actually reduce the time in buying produce in markets and
groceries as food becomes directly accessible in backyards.
• Better knowledge and promotion of benefits should be imparted to
these families about food gardening through basic food gardening
courses.

5. Risk for pests

Even in the best-managed vegetable gardens--ones with soil rich in compost, and
a diversity of plants to encourage natural predators--certain pests will

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 14


occasionally get out of hand. For instance, vegetables are bred largely for yield
and flavor, often at the expense of natural resistance to pests.
Solution:
• Natural pest control by light traps, use of nets, use of dusts, or infused
water
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) –a pest problem-solving process that
includes considerations such as pesticide resistance, natural biological
controls and pollution, in addition to problems caused by the pest. IPM
integrates many pest-control methods and minimizes insecticide use,
particularly of the more toxic, broad-spectrum kinds.

IX. What are some of the technologies in food gardening?

1. Food Always in the Home (FAITH) Gardening

In 1974, to promote home gardening in Davao del Sur, the Mindanao Baptist
Rural Life Center (MBRL) commenced to develop and practice in its farm a simple
but effective vegetable growing technology. Food Always in the Home (FAITH)
garden is a type of vegetable gardening that can provide the necessary protein,
vitamins and mineral requirements needed by a family with 6 members. It is a
basic guide that was designed in such a way that it requires minimum cost, labor,
and land utilization. The FAITH garden, when properly followed, can provide 300
grams (or one bowl) of fresh vegetables daily. 24
2. Magic Square Meter Garden

Magic Square Meter Garden is a one-square meter plot planted with “plant and
forget” and “die hard” type of plants – Malunggay, Alugbati, Camote tops,
Kangkong and Pechay (MACK-P) and can accommodate 20 to 30 plants. The aim
is to assist the planning and creation of a small but intensively planted vegetable
garden. It results in a simple and orderly gardening system.

3. Urban Gardening

Urban gardens have evolved rapidly with increasing urbanization. By 1996, the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that about one-third
of urban families worldwide produce almost one-third of the vegetables, eggs,
and meat consumed in the cities. Urban gardens are found near houses, on high
rise apartment balconies, along drains and roads, and in temporary vacant lots.
Often, the poorest sectors (women, youth, elderly people, and unemployed) are
practicing this. Urban gardening can be practiced through these methods:

24
http://www.ncp.org.ph/faith-training.html

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a. Container gardening - Container gardening or pot gardening is the
practice of growing plants, including edible plants, exclusively in
containers instead of planting them in the ground. Containers range from
simple plastic pots, plastic bottles, old tires and pails, and sacks. This
flexibility in design is another reason container gardening is popular with
growers. They can be found on porches, front steps, and in urban
locations, on rooftops.

b. Companion gardening - Companion planting in gardening and agriculture


is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of
different reasons, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for
beneficial creatures, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase
crop productivity.

4. Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich


solution. It does not use soil, but instead the root system is supported using an
inert medium (such as perlite, rockwool, clay pellets, or vermiculture). The
premise for technology behind hydroponics is that it allows the plant roots to
come in direct contact with nutrient solution, while also having access to oxygen,
which is essential for proper growth.

Hydroponic systems come in various types, such as: (1) Deepwater culture, (2)
Nutrient Film Technique, (3) Aeroponics, (4) Wicking, (5) Ebb and Flow, and (6)
Drip System. In the Philippines, a modified hydroponics system, called Simple
Nutrient Addition Program (SNAP), was developed at the Institute of Plant
Breeding, University of the Philippines Los Baños. This technology is very
efficient in growing vegetables like lettuce, pechay, mustard, and upland
kankong. SNAP differs from the other hydroponics systems as it contains a
complete nutrient solution.

Hydroponics provides a solution for vegetable production even under urban


settings. With this, there is no issue of “in and off-season” farming because
hydroponics system allows for uninterrupted farming.

5. Bio-intensive gardening technology (BIG) for school integrated gardening


To address malnutrition and hunger, the Department of Education (DepEd) has
put in place poverty alleviation schemes that will help promote food security and
economic stability for affected families. The Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP)
was then implemented in support to the hunger mitigation initiatives of the
government. DepEd Memorandum No. 293, s. 2007 was issued to encourage

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 16


both public elementary and secondary schools to establish school gardens to
ensure continuous supply of vegetables for school feeding.
School gardens were enhanced using the bio-intensive gardening technology
(BIG), an ecological gardening approach that addresses productivity and
sustainability challenges of gardens. Bio-intensive school garden standards were
developed to facilitate the implementation. BIG practices include deep-dug and
raised plots followed by minimum tillage, diversification by growing various
indigenous vegetables, use of green tree fertilizers like kakawate (Gliricidia
sepium) to sustain soil fertility and cover cropping using legumes during the
summer season, to protect soil health and conserve fertility. Decentralized
school crop museums helped conserve and propagate seeds of local vegetables
to support the needs of schools and household gardens. 25
The intervention led to enhanced ability of school children to identify individual
vegetables and fruits, greater attention to origins of produce (garden-grown and
fresh), changes to perceived consumption of vegetables and fruits, and
enhanced confidence in preparing fruit and vegetable snacks, but decreased
interest in trying new fruits. The introduction of this school-based food garden
was associated with skill and attitudinal changes conducive to enhancing
vegetable and fruit consumption. The ways in which such changes might impact
on dietary behaviors and intake require further analysis. 26

6. Vertical gardening
A vertical garden is a garden that grows upward (vertically) using a trellis or
other support system, rather than on the ground (horizontally). This technique
can be used to create living screens between different areas, providing privacy
for your yard or home. More recently, vertical gardens can also be used to grow
flowers and even vegetables.
Vertical gardening is used by many as a means to ensure they are using their
garden space to its maximum potential. A simple structure formed by bamboo
poles can allow bean plants to climb vertically, providing more growing space
than would be possible in a conventional horizontal garden. Cucumbers, squash,
and even tomatoes can be grown vertically, as well.
Harvesting crops from a vertical garden is significantly easier than with a
conventional on-the-ground garden. Because you are able to harvest while
standing mostly upright or completely upright (depending on the vertical level
being harvested), as opposed to kneeling or squatting on the ground, vertical

25
https://schoolnutritionphils.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/school-nutrition-brief.pdf
26
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18647431

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 17


gardening is easier on the back and legs, and many people with arthritis or other
disabilities find it highly beneficial.27

X. What are the basic steps in establishing a food garden?

1. Developing a garden plan

a. Location – Planting site must have a good water supply, good soil
drainage and fertility, sunlight availability, and good air circulation
• Water is an important factor in plant growth. Plant your vegetables in
a site where you can easily obtain water for the plants.
• Establish your garden on a light slope to provide drainage, especially
during rainy season. If your land is flat, dig drainage channels or
ditches around the planting site.
• The soil should be fertile enough to make plants grow. It should
contain humus (decomposed plant or animal materials by
microorganisms in the soil), as plant food. The types of soil needed
for vegetables gardening are: (1) loam (23 to 52 percent sand, 20 to
50 percent silt, and 5 to 27 percent of clay); or (2) silt-loam (50
percent sand, 50 to 88 percent silt and 0 to 27 percent clay); (3) clay-
loam (20 to 42 percent sand, 18 to 52 percent silt, and 27 to 40
percent clay).
• The food garden site should receive sunshine throughout the day
since growing plants need sunshine to manufacture food.
• Strong winds are not good for young plants. Your site should have
natural windbreaks around, including hills, trees, and houses.

b. Size – Most commonly, food gardens have an area of about fifty (50)
square meters. The ideal garden size, however, is 96 – 100 square meters
and commonly has a dimension of 6x16 meters, adequate to provide
daily supply of fresh vegetables for a family of 6.

c. Soil preparation - Vegetables grow and yield better in well-prepared soil.


However, there are no hard-and-fast rules in preparing soil for vegetable
planting. Much depends on the terrain, soil type, size of your garden, the
vegetables you want to plant, and the season.

d. Drainage preparation – Drainage is key to keep plants from drowning.


Raising beds is an option to facilitate good drainage. Make raised beds
4-6 inches above ground level. This will also help provide paths through
the garden.

27
https://www.maximumyield.com/definition/706/vertical-garden

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 18


2. Choosing the produce to plant

In choosing the vegetables and fruits to plant in your food garden, assess first
the family or community’s need. A detailed list of the most common local
vegetables can be found in Annex 1.

a. Early maturing vegetables


• Harvesting period: 2 to 4 months
• Produce: soybeans, tomatoes, pechay, bush sitao, radish, mustard,
cowpeas, sweet corn, sweet pepper, mung beans, carrots.

b. Semi-annual vegetables
• Harvesting period: 6 to 9 months
• Produce: winged bean (seguidillas), bitter melon (ampalaya),
eggplant, okra, squash, garlic, onion, cucumber, sayote, upo, patola,
wax ground (kundol), ginger, and others.

c. Annual vegetables
• Harvesting period: 10-12 months
• Produce: lima beans (patani), kangkong, alugbati, sweet potato
(kamote), gabi, cassava, pigeon pea (kadyos)

a. Permanent crops
• Produce: papaya, pineapple, sugarcane, singkamas, malunggay,
banana, citrus, and short fruit trees

3. Basic gardening tools needed


Food gardening requires some basic tools. The trick is to improvise using
available materials.

Source: Real Living PH28

28
https://www.realliving.com.ph/shopping-services/building-101-gardening-tools

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 19


1. Gardening hose – to water plants, washing and cleaning of gardening tools
and equipment
2. Small trowel –for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving soil and plants
3. Rake – to broom, loosen the soil, light weeding and leveling
4. Pruning shears – gardening scissors
5. Gardening gloves – to protect gardener from gardening hazards
6. Water can – portable container to water plant by hand
7. Trowel
8. Fork – to loosen, lift, turn over soil, rake out stones and weeds
9. Potting materials – combination of soil, sand, gravel, and admixtures;
material may vary depending on the type of plants in the garden
10. Water sprayer – to mist smaller plants like aero plants and orchids
11. Proper gardening clothes

In community gardens, a more detailed listing of the needed tools and equipment is
shown on Table 5.

Table 5. Community gardening tools29


Garden Tools Spade, grab hoe, shovel, trowels, rake, digging bar, bolo,
wheel barrow/garden cart, etc.
Seed and Plant Assorted vegetable seeds, garden soil, organic fertilizers,
etc.
Propagation Equipment/ Dibber/seed sower/ wedger
Materials Seedling trays, soil media mix, garden net/garden sheds,
(Seed raising/seedling) plastic black bags, etc.
Watering Hose, sprinkler, watering cans, etc.
Waste Management Compost bin/compost pit/ compost heap/ bucket
composting
Garden infrastructure Bamboo post, GI wire, cement, gravel and sand, etc.
Personal Protective Garden gloves, twine, garden signs and labels/plant tags,
Equipment and others information chart, etc.
Miscellaneous Transportation/ delivery/ rental expenses

4. Livestock raising

a. Choosing livestock – Consider the animals based on their uses and by-
products. Choose animals that serve multiple purposes, such as chickens,
rabbits, or fishes as shown in Table 6.

29
http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/memo/2016/DM_s2016_223.pdf

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 20


b. Space – The amount of space to be allocated for livestock raising would be
dependent on the animal.

c. Feed – Most livestock require compost, corn, grains, bread, weeds, or


leftovers from the garden

d. Cost to raise – Some animals require little cost, such as fishes and insects,
while some require more.

e. Other considerations – Certain animals can be beneficial or harmful. Animal-


borne illnesses are common, especially in chickens and pigs. Proper care and
handling should be practiced in animals that are in high risk for spreading
diseases.

Table 6. Livestock uses


Commodity Food By-products and other uses
Dairy Fluid and dried milk, Male calves and old cows sold into
butter, cheese and the cattle commodity market; milk
curd, casein, evaporated as an industrial feedstock of
milk, cream, yoghurt carbohydrates (lactose as a diluent
and other fermented for drugs), proteins (used as a
milk, whey surfactant to stabilize food
emulsions) and fats (lipids have
potential uses as emulsifiers,
surfactants and gels), offal
Cattle, buffalo, Meat (beef, mutton) Hides and skins (leather, collagens
sheep for sausage casings, cosmetics,
wound dressing, human tissue
repair), offal (internal organs and
entrails), work (traction), wool,
hair, dung (as fuel and fertilizer),
bone meal, religious objects, pet
food, tallow and grease (fatty acids,
varnish, rubber goods, soaps, lamp
oil, plastics, lubricants) fat, blood
meal
Poultry Meat, eggs, duck eggs Feathers and down, manure (as
fertilizer), leather, fat, offal,
flightless bird oil (carrier for
dermal path pharmaceuticals),
weed control (geese in mint fields)
Pig Meat Hides and skins, hair, lard, manure,
offal

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Commodity Food By-products and other uses
Fish (aquaculture) Meat Fishmeal, oil, shell, aquarium pets
Horse, other Meat, blood, milk Recreation (riding, racing), work
equines (riding, traction), glue, dog feed,
hair

5. Necessary Gardening Techniques

a. Sowing and planting – Recommended standard operating procedures from


soil sterilization, sowing, and transplanting techniques should be followed.

b. Watering needs – Watering may not be necessary during the rainy season
when plants receive enough water from the rain. However, during the drier
months, watering should be done, preferably between 8 to 9 o' clock in the
morning. If the weather is not too hot, one watering in the morning is
enough for the plants to grow healthily. If it is very hot and the plant demand
is high, one additional watering should be done around 3 - 4 o’clock in the
afternoon.

c. Cultivating - Cultivating the soil at a depth of 2 to 3 inches below the surface


of the potting medium will encourage maximum air flow around the roots,
which encourages bigger and healthier root growth and subsequently better
water and nutrient uptake.

d. Weeding - Weeding allows the plants to benefit the nutrients and water that
is provided by the medium without having to compete with other non-
productive plants. Weeds being native to the environment, usually grow
bigger and faster, than cultivated crops.

e. Fertilizing - Use well-composted manure or compost every two weeks.


Alternatively, rice washings and water used to rinse meat and fish may be
used. Instead of throwing them, those can be collected and used to water
your plants.

f. Pest Control - Increasing the bio-diversity of the container garden is already a


way of preventing the occurrence of pests and diseases. This may be done by
growing vegetables from different botanical families including herbals which
may act as repellants to certain pests. If there is an occurrence of
infestations, appropriate biological, physical, mechanical, and - in severe
cases - chemical control measures may be used.

g. Seed Treatment - Seeds should be treated with fungicides and insecticides


prior to storage to protect germinating seed from pre- and post – emergence

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 22


damping off disease. Always try to get seeds from reliable sources for best
results.

Other techniques to be considered:

h. Inoculation
Leguminous seeds such as string beans, cow pea, lima bean and garden peas,
should be inoculated before planting. It prevents early nitrogen starvation of
plants, thus reducing the demand for soil nitrogen. To inoculate, put seeds in
a big container, moisten with water, mix with inoculant (available in
agricultural supply stores) until all the seeds are well coated. Be sure to use
the correct inoculant for the legume you are using. However, you can still
plant leguminous crops without inoculating the seeds.

i. Transplanting
A day before transplanting, water the seed box or seedbed thoroughly to
facilitate pulling of the seedlings and minimize root injury. Then transplant
the seedlings to the prepared garden plots. After transplanting, tamp or pack
the soil slightly around the base of the plants, water, then tamp again.
Starter solution (40 grams or approximately 4 tablespoons of complete
fertilizer dissolved in one big kerosene can of water) may be used in
watering. If it is very hot, cover the seedlings with coconut leaves or banana
bracts.

j. Cultivation
Cultivate or loosen the soil around the plants to enable their roots to expand
and develop fully. Plants with fine roots spreading out near the surface
should not be cultivated too deeply. Deep cultivation is needed only for
deep-rooted plants like radish, beet, and carrot. Cultivate only when there is
enough soil moisture. Do this late in the afternoon or early morning.
Cultivation maybe done with a hoe.

k. Trim ratooning plants


When you observe that your vegetables crops are no longer productive, you
can rejuvenate plants like okra, lima beans, winged beans, eggplants, sweet
pepper, malunggay, and pigeon peas by cutting to height of one-half to one
food above the ground. For sweet potato, kangkong and alugbati, trim them
about one inch above the ground. This can be done twice, and then replant.

l. Trellising
Some plants that need support or trellises include cucumber, bitter melon,
sayote, upo, patola, winged bean, lima bean, snap bean, and string bean.
Poles 2.4 – 2.7 meters in length are usually set in the ground to a sufficient
depth in a teepee-like arrangement.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 23


m. Staking
Vegetables that need stakes include tomato, okra, eggplant and sweet
pepper. Stakes are used to support the plants and keep the fruit off the
ground. Use any strong local materials such as ipil-ipil, kakawate, and
bamboo.

n. Mulching
Mulching is very important during the dry season to reduce moisture loss and
to save irrigation water. Straw mulch keeps the soil moist even on the
warmest days. During heavy rains, mulch reduces the impact of raindrops on
the soil surface and prevents fertile topsoil from eroding or being washed
away. Mulch can be made from any of the following: rice straw, rice hulls, cut
grass, sugarcane bagasse, sawdust, and paper. Spread the mulch on the
surface of the ground, around the plants or between the rows of plants.
Mulching controls weeds by preventing sunlight from reaching the ground.
Plant materials used as mulch improve soil structure and increase soil fertility
when they decompose and become part of the topsoil.

o. Crop protection
Insects, worms, and diseases are the principal enemies of vegetables. But
these can all be controlled. Success greatly depends on prompt action. The
best and cheapest way to eliminate caterpillars, beetles, and insect eggs is to
pick them off the plants by hand.

Enriching the soil with natural fertilizers – rotted leaves, grass, and straw –
provides the natural chemicals that makes plants resistant to pests and
diseases. If preferred, insecticides and fungicides can be used to protect a
vegetable garden from pests and diseases. Many of these may be sprayed or
dusted on plants.

6. Planting Tips and Recommendation30

• Research well: When you begin your own food garden you should
understand the type of soil you work with, the type of climate and what
plants are best suited for it, your nutritional needs and many others.

• Start small: There is no need to get overwhelmed with the general


maintenance of a big garden. You can grow a surprising amount of food in
a bed that is 1-2 square meters.

30
http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/213014/

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 24


• Build up your soil: The foundation of a healthy, productive garden is a rich,
well-draining, crumbly soil that has good condition. Add organic matter
such as finished compost, worm humus or farm-animal manure.

• Time your crops: Prepare the soil one month before planting. Before you
start, make sure there is enough moisture in the soil. Make sure you are
aware of which vegetables grow best in your area and what is the best
season to plant them in.

• Start with well-known vegetables: There are vegetables which are easier to
grow than others: Malunggay, alugbati, camote, kangkong, petsay, kadyos,
papaya, and sigarilyas are among the most common and easiest to plant.

• Stay on top of your harvest: Always remember your garden needs weeding
because weeds compete with the plants for nutrients and water. Water
your garden but be careful not to water too sporadically or too often.
Watch out for pests and plant diseases. Pick produce when these are
ready.

XI. How can food gardening contribute to a family’s income and livelihood?

Food gardens can be used to increase household income, not only directly by selling
fresh or value-added production, but also by providing food that would otherwise have
to be purchased with household income. While growing more than the household can
consume and selling the seasonal surplus can provide some income, better income is
achieved by aiming for market opportunities.
Market opportunities are done through:
(1) Growing vegetables all-year round to supply customers regularly,
(2) Growing off-season vegetables to sell when there is little else available in
markets, or
(3) To specialize in growing certain kinds of varieties of vegetables, fruit, herbs,
spices, and other items that few other people produce for sale.
Adding value to garden products is another good income strategy. For example, by
washing, grading and weighing vegetables into home-meal sized lots is another simple
but effective convenience value addition.
Many schools use their gardens and the children’s labor to create income for the school.
This is a worthwhile practical aim, and sometimes a vital one for the school and its
students or pupils. But the benefit is multiplied many times if this commercial activity is
also treated as an educational exercise. Some students in rural areas will make their
living in agriculture. Many others will expect to supplement incomes from other

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 25


occupations by growing crops for cash. Others will start small businesses unrelated to
agriculture. All of them stand in need of basic business thinking, business skills and,
above all, hands-on business experience. These can be acquired painlessly and at little
expense in the school garden, which is an excellent practical introduction to good
commercial practice for older students. 31
Success stories:

Felipe Abni, a Zamboanga del Norte native who has generated over
Php40,000 monthly through his gardens (Source: TVIRD)
In Zamboanga del Norte, Felipe Abni is the town’s vegetable guru who was able to
generate Php40,000 monthly from his food garden. Abni is a resident of Sitio Ocho in
Barangay Kilalaban, Baliguian town in Zamboanga del Norte. He practically had
nothing when he came to the village in 2006. But he pinned his hopes on a two
thousand square meter parcel of land, which a well-off friend let him use as
residence and garden without charging him rent. He planted tomatoes, cabbages,
bell peppers, alugbati, okra and many others. He was assisted by the Food Always In
the Home (FAITH) program under TVI: Resource Development Philippines Inc.32

31
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/A0218E04.htm
32
http://tvird.com.ph/zamboanga-farmer-earns-php40k-monthly-from-a-small-garden/

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 26


Malinta Elementary School’s Vegetable Garden, Iligan, Isabela
(Source: One Valenzuela33)
In Iligan, Isabela, Malinta Elementary School implemented an income generating
project entitled “Veggies for IM: Vegetable Production as Fund Source for
instructional Materials of Grade VI Class of Malinta Elementary School”.34 From June
2014 to March 2015, a total of Php5,785 was generated for selling produce like
winged bean (sigarillas), bitter melon (ampalaya), and chili peppers (sili). The class
was able to procure instructional materials, DVD, and printers. Due to the success of
the project, the Grade VI students of Malinta Elementary School have decided to
continue the project.

33
http://www.onevalenzuela.com/2013/03/going-green-and-leafy-in-valenzuela.html
34
https://www.scribd.com/doc/295967745/income-generating-project-by-loida

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 27


FNRI’s Oh My Gulay! Edible Gardens in Bicutan, Taguig City (Source: FNRI)

Meanwhile, food gardens have also been seen to benefit office spaces. In July 2017,
FNRI-DOST partnered with a seed company to launch their vegetable garden entitled
“Oh My Gulay! (OMG!) sa FNRI”, which aims to showcase how growing vegetables in
urban areas with limited space can be possible. Varieties of butternut squash, bitter
gourd, cucumber, hot peppers, sweet peppers, eggplants, pole beans, kangkong, and
various ornamentals were planted and are now being harvested by their office. They
sell the produce to their employees or use these as tokens to office guests. The
income generated helps in the upkeep of the garden.35

35
http://ph.eastwestseed.com/news/east-west-seed-partners-with-dost-fnri-to-promote-vegetable-gardening-
and-consumption

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 28


XII. What are some of the successful food gardening projects in the Philippines?

1. Food Always In The Home (FAITH) by the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center
(MBRLC)36 37

FAITH (Food Always In The Home) gardens, developed by the Mindanao Baptist
Rural Life Center in the Philippines, are one of several ways to ensure food
security for farmers and their families. This system of food gardening makes it
possible for farmers to plant a 100-square-meter garden to harvest vegetables
throughout the year. The MBRLC suggested that when replanting, it is helpful to
practice crop rotation-- the act of switching leguminous vegetables with non-
leguminous vegetables after each crop yield. Crop rotation has been shown to
improve the fertility of garden soil, thus increasing productive harvests. The
sweet potato is merely one example of the many non-leguminous crops that can
be grown in a FAITH garden. Tomatoes, eggplant, pechay, okra and spinach are
good examples of non-leguminous plants to grow in FAITH gardens, as well. The
technology developed by the MBRLC has now been adopted by many agricultural
organizations such as the DA-ATI and the Nutrition Center of the Philippines
(NCP).

2. Participatory Action Research on School- and Community-Based Food and


Nutrition Program for Literacy, Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development
by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in
Agriculture (SEARCA), Department of Education (DepEd), and the University of
the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).38

The SEARCA, in cooperation with Department of Education (DepEd) and


University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), launched a school and home
gardening project in the province of Laguna. It is envisaged to be a precursor of a
nationwide program that addresses community food and nutrition security,
specifically food utilization component, through the establishment of school
gardens while promoting among students and teachers an appreciation of
gardening and agriculture, in general. It has three (3) focus areas namely in:
a. Educational – Increase the relevance and quality of education of
schoolchildren through experiential learning activities in food production and
nutrition

36
MBRLC Edition Staff, How To Make FAITH (Food Always In The Home) Garden. MBRLC, Kinuskusan, Bansalan,
Davao del Sur. Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center 1997 Edition, 22 pp. How To Series No.2
37
http://ecop.pbworks.com/w/page/18520576/FAITH%20Gardens
38
http://www.searca.org/index.php/project-development/29-projects/rad-projects/2393-participatory-action-
research-on-school-and-community-based-food-and-nutrition-program-for-literacy-poverty-reduction-and-
sustainable-development

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 29


b. Nutritional – Increase diversity and availability of food within the local
community that will meet the nutritional needs of children; and
c. Economic (Long-term) – Reduce families' food expenses, create savings, and
provide an alternative source of income for families to alleviate poverty.
Overall, it accomplished the following:
a. Improved nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards
vegetable consumption and production;
b. One hundred and twenty-five (125) lesson plans integrating the concepts of
nutrition, organic agriculture, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and
solid waste management were prepared by Grade 4 and Grade 7 Science,
Mathematics, English, Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP)
(Home Economics) and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) teachers;
and
c. Improved Supply and Quality of Fresh Vegetables for the School-based
Feeding Program.

3. Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) of the Department of Education (DepEd) and


the Department of Agriculture (DA)39

To address malnutrition and hunger, the DepEd implemented poverty alleviation


schemes that will help promote food security and economic stability in affected
Filipino families through the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) in accordance
to DepEd Memorandum No. 293, s. 2007. This encourages both public
elementary and secondary schools to establish school gardens to ensure
continuous supply of vegetables for school feeding. They follow the Bio-Intensive
Gardening (BIG) Approach, a gardening technology as advocated by the
International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) that focuses on the
biological form of agriculture in which a small area of land is intensively
cultivated using nature’s own ingredients to rebuild and then maintain the soil’s
productivity.

Through the program, the pupils, parents, and teachers learned to love and
appreciate the field of agriculture. A study was done on 16 GPP-implementing
elementary schools in the Philippines and it was found that about 87% of the 220
pupils and students interviewed agreed that the GPP helped the school and their
families economically.40

39
http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Region%20X/regional-memo/2016/R10_RM_s2016_8873_354.pdf
40
MOLIJON, Anita L.; DE LA RAMA, Juana M.. Baseline Assessment of the Vegetable Gardens (Gulayan Sa Paaralan)
in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. JPAIR Institutional Research, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 1, p. 64-75, july 2014. ISSN
2244-1816. Available at: <http://philair.ph/publication/index.php/irj/article/view/307>. Date accessed: 11 may
2018. doi: https://doi.org/10.7719/irj.v4i1.307.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 30


4. Food gardening in the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition

Food production, such as home and school gardens, has been a part of the
national nutrition plans since the 1970s. School gardening was especially
highlighted in the PPAN 1994-2004 as a means to augment food supply and
improve micronutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin A deficiency and iron
deficiency. In the current PPAN 2017-2022, food gardening is classified as a
nutrition-sensitive program, which aims to strengthen the current Gulayan sa
Paaralan Program of DepEd and DA.

XIII. What are the recommended actions to promote food gardening?

Government (national and local) together with other stakeholders can do the following:
1. Issuance of policies supportive to, and will increase investment for family
food gardens, e.g. Pantawid Pamilya families to have home gardens;
government offices to have food gardens
2. Provision of free seminars and trainings on gardening
3. Provision of seeds and other planting materials
4. Promotion of food gardening
5. Promotion of urban gardening in cities and municipalities
6. Documentation of successful food gardens
7. Local dietary supplementation programs to source ingredients from local
food gardens
8. Food gardening contests
9. Organizing farmers’ markets to provide a venue to sell produce from food
gardens
10. Conduct of barangay cooking contests using harvested produce

Families can be encouraged to have food gardens by having these motivations:


1. A family food garden is one of the joys of life.
2. Food is best when grown at home and with love.
3. There is money in my food garden.
4. My garden, best bonding moment with family.
XIV. What are ways to celebrate the 2018 Nutrition Month?

The 2018 Nutrition Month celebration should be able to highlight the importance of
improving nutrition and food security through food gardening. The campaign should be
done all year round to ensure good nutrition of all age groups.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 31


1. Hang streamers or posters about the Nutrition Month celebration
2. Conduct seminars and other fora to discuss the Nutrition Month theme
3. Help promote positive attitudes towards food gardening through print,
social media, TV and radio programs, and other media
• Posting of Felfie (family/farmer selfie) –post action photos as a way to put a
face to food gardening; families can show off their home gardens; to
encourage consumers to buy locally-produced food; tag a friend and
challenge them to post their felfies as well, so that it becomes a chain
reaction of posting felfies
4. Conduct other activities that would highlight and promote food gardening.

2018 NUTRITION MONTH | UGALIING MAGTANIM, SAPAT NA NUTRISYON AANIHIN! 32


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Annex
Most common local vegetables in the Philippines
Common Name Filipino Name Scientific Name
Sweet potato Kamote Ipomea batatas
Garden pea Guisantes Pisum sativum
Snap bean Habichuelas Phaseolus vulgaris
String bean Batong, sitao Vina sinesis
Lima bean Patani Phaseolus lunatos
Hyacinth bean Batao Dilochus lablab
Winged bean Seguidillas, Sigarilyas Tetragonolobus purpureus
Pigeon pea Kadyos Cajanus cajan
Eggplant Talong Solanum melongena
Tomato Kamatis Lycopersicon esculentum
Sweet pepper Atsal Capsicum annuum
Chilli pepper Siling labuyo Capsiucum frutescens
Squash Kalabasa Cucurbita moschata
Sponge gourd Patola Lufa cylindrical
Vegetable gourd Patolang tagalog Luffa acutangula
Bottle gourd Upo Lagenaria siceraria
Watermelon Pakwan Citrullus lanatus
Cucumber Pipino Cucumis sativus
Muskmelon Melon Cucumis melo
Chayote Sayote Sechium adule
Bitter melon Ampalaya Memordica charantia
Cabbage Repolyo Brassica oleracea
Onion Sibuyas Allium cepa
Potato Patatas Solanum tuberrosum
Sweet corn Mais Solanum tuberrosum
Okra Okra Hibiscus esculentus
Amaranth Kulitis Amaranthus tricolor
Swamp cabbage, water Kangkong Ipomoea aquatica
spinach
Carrot Carrot Daugus carota
Radish Labanos Raphanus sativus
Ceylon spinach Alugbati Basella rubra

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