Residents in cities such as Dumaguete are encouraged to take up urban gardening in view of the diminishing available space in residential areas for backyard gardening.
The Provincial Agriculture Office here introduced “Orocan gardening,” named after the company that produces plastic containers such as pails, drums, pitchers, and basins.
In a forum held Wednesday at the Sidlakang Negros Village here, provincial agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said that with Orocan gardening, vermicast or vermicompost could be placed inside plastic pots along with fertile soil.
“This way, we can plant vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, and even kangkong in our own homes,” said Paltinca.
Interested household owners can approach any of the barangay agricultural development centers (BADCs) in their areas or the Provincial Agriculturist Office where technicians can assist in starting their own urban gardens.
Urban gardening can address the decreasing daily vegetable intake of Filipinos.
According to Dr. Edgardo Barredo, action officer of the provincial nutrition council here, studies show that in the latter part of 1978, Filipinos consumed 145 gm of vegetables per person everyday. In 2008, it was discovered that the Filipinos’ daily vegetable consumption decreased to 110 mgm per person.
The figures for Central Visayas are even lower with an estimate of only 102 grams of greens per day for each person. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
