JULY 2018
TALKING POINTS
CONTENTS PAGE
References 33
Annex - Most common local vegetables in the Philippines 36
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.
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.
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
40
0
1993 2003 2013
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
0
1978 1982 1987 1993 2001 2003 2008 2013 2015
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
In addition, the general practices with respect to food gardens are based on 15 type-
specific characteristics as shown in Table 3. 5
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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?
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/
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.
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
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.
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
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
4. Hydroponics
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.
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
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.
27
https://www.maximumyield.com/definition/706/vertical-garden
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.
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
28
https://www.realliving.com.ph/shopping-services/building-101-gardening-tools
In community gardens, a more detailed listing of the needed tools and equipment is
shown on Table 5.
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
d. Cost to raise – Some animals require little cost, such as fishes and insects,
while some require more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
• 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.
30
http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/213014/
• 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
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/
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
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
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).
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
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.
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.
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
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.