Vegetable gardens program in schools, backyards on

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines  — Vegetable gardens in school grounds, backyards, and community open spaces.

This is the main objective of a government program dubbed “Gulayan ng Masa” now being implemented initially in selected provinces in the country.

Now being spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Gulayan is a hunger mitigation program that promotes integrated school and home gardens, particularly in rural communities. It aims to reduce hunger and improve nutrition in targeted provinces and urban centers through the promotion of school, backyard, and communal gardens; information campaign; and provision of training and start-up materials such as seeds.

The program is expected to ensure the availability of fresh vegetables in every household.

Also involved in Gulayan are local government units (LGUs), Department of Health (DOH) through the National Nutrition Council (NNC), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

As to how far the program has gone is now being assessed by the Los Baños-based, government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).

SEARCA, headed by Director Gil Saguiguit Jr., has tapped Dr. Sergio Francisco, chief science research specialist of the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and a SEARCA visiting research fellow, to lead the impact assessment project.

“The information regarding the impacts and lessons from the implementation of the Gulayan ng Masa program can provide policy-makers and decision-makers bases in the formulation and implementation of targeted programs,” Dr. Francisco said.

A rapid assessment of Gulayan is now being conducted in the provinces covered.

Priority 1 provinces are Mountain Province, Camarines Norte, Masbate, National Capital Region (NCR), all in Luzon; Agusan del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Maguindanao, Saranggani, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay, all in Mindanao.

Priority 2 provinces are Kalinga, Abra, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Camarines Sur, Marinduque, all in Luzon; Antique, Biliran, Samar, Negros Oriental, all in the Visayas; Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, all in Mindanao.