The city government here is expanding its urban gardening project to promote sustainable farming with 31 villages committing to join the “JPT (Jerry P. Treñas) Ediscape (edible landscaping) II during the launching held on Tuesday.

In an interview, city agriculturist Iñigo Garingalao said that they will soon go around the barangays to validate if they have enough space for the communal garden, which is about 70 to 100 square meters.

“It is a combination of planting on the ground and container gardening. They will be scheduled for a hands-on training at our Uswag nursery,” he said.

The Uswag nursery is a 4,000 square meter lot in Barangay Tacas, Jaro that has been equipped with hydroponics, greenhouse, and drip irrigation by the Department of Agriculture.

The nursery hosts varieties of vegetables, chicken, rabbit, native and hybrid pigs, geese, and ducks among others.

During the training, participants from 31 barangays will be taught how to prepare compost, start a plant nursery, and to transfer seedlings.

Areas that are suitable for integrated farming will be encouraged to raise livestock or grow tilapia fingerlings.

He added that it will be a competition with the most productive farm or garden, and the best in utilizing and mobilizing their constituents and stakeholders of the barangay will be chosen either in July or August this year.

The JPT Ediscape was first launched by the Iloilo City Population Office at the height of quarantine due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in 2020 as part of food security program starting with 12 barangays.

Last year it was expanded by the City Agriculture’s Office (CAO) to 25 villages.

“We found out during the pandemic that it would be difficult if we are too much dependent on the outside. With lockdowns and checkpoints it was very difficult for vegetables to be transported to the city,” Garingalao said.

He added that since there are already city residents engaged in vegetable farming, the city might as well expand it to lessen dependency on other local government units.

This strategy would mean more food, livelihood, good mental health for the residents, and a better environment for the city.

“With all those benefits that we saw and we even contributed much to the Uswag community kitchen last year, we realized that it is better if we enhance and have readily available food sources,” he added. (PNA)