The Department of Agriculture Cordillera office (DA-CAR) has earmarked P10 million for distribution to Baguio-based urban farmers in a bid to boost the city’s urban agricultural sector under the National Urban and Peri-urban Agricultural Program (NUPAP).
The agency is also eyeing Tabuk City, Kalinga for a similar injection to boost that city’s own urban agriculture.
The intervention provided by DA-CAR to the local government unit of Baguio consists of upland and lowland vegetables seeds, fruit-bearing tree seedlings, organic and inorganic solid and liquid fertilizers, support to community and school garden, beekeeping, rabbit production, duck production, extension support through education and training services, agricultural machinery, equipment and facilities support services, all worth a total of P10 million.
An initial 300 urban farmers have been identified as beneficiaries for the injection of funding and farming inputs.
In addition to the provision of farm inputs and aid, the city of Baguio has also entered a deed of usufruct with the Antonio Angheng Properties Corporation in order to utilize its property along Asin Road in neighboring Tuba town for the establishment of an urban agriculture technology demonstration project to facilitate the continued growth of the local urban farming sector.
The project will serve as a “living laboratory” of urban agriculture technologies as Baguio’s Innovative and Goal-Oriented Agri Solutions (BIGAS) project.
