THE Baguio City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) has launched its Baguio Urban Gardening with the 4-H Club (BUG-4H)-Young Farmers’ Field School Program in two schools in the city to involve the youth in urban farming.
The activity is pursuant to City Ordinance 41, series of 2021, authored by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales.
CVAO senior agriculturist, Marcelina Tabelin, said the program hopes to encourage the youth to engage in agriculture as farmers in the country are an aging population and new blood is needed for the industry to survive.
CVAO and ATI-CAR will conduct a month-long urban gardening coaching/seminar and hands-on gardening in this year’s two pilot public schools after which participants will be provided with gardening starter kits composed of vegetable seeds, seed trays, seeding bags, garden trowels, cocopeat compost and more.
“Throughout the hands-on gardening journey, participants will establish the 4-H Community Urban Agriculture Model Farm, which shall serve as their ‘Laboratory Learning’ and venue for fellowship to develop their interpersonal relationships as young farmers’ organization that promotes mental health,” Tabelin said.
“They will practice composting and recycling waste plastics and containers as planters. Aside from utilizing their products for home consumption, participants are encouraged to market their products to let them experience earning money from vegetable production. This strategy will transform their mindset that farming is not only for the poor and make them appreciate it as a viable enterprise,” Tabelin added.
