From Soil to Sustenance: Development and Implementation of Extension Project for Food Security through Urban Gardening

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly affected rural livelihoods. The loss of income and employment prospects constituted significant issues in impoverished communities in the Philippines. The economic repercussions of COVID-19 are especially concerning, given that the studied villages represent a segment of the most impoverished and vulnerable populations in the Philippines. To lessen the economic impact of Covid-19, Pagpapayabong ng Produktong Agrikultura was first launched among thirty (30) residents of Lucban, Quezon, composed of senior citizens, displaced workers, and solo parents, and consequently replicated to the twenty (20) 4P’s grantees and thirty (30) members of the Parent and Teacher Association of Paaralang Elementarya ng Lucban 7. The project was implemented and later replicated by the Southern Luzon State University in collaboration with STAARRDEC, LGU-Lucban, DepEd-Lucban, and DSWD-IVA to address the issues of food shortages and unemployment confronting the Covid-19-affected communities through the transfer of available mature agricultural technologies in farming. The goal of this project is to empower the beneficiaries to be self-sufficient in food after the pandemic and ultimately uplift the quality of their lives. Development of IEC materials, facilitation of trainings on urban gardening and SNAP hydroponics, preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides, and distribution of farming inputs among beneficiaries were the project strategies to attain its goal. Further, marketing strategies were also integrated into the project to introduce gardening as one of the potential sources of income in the future. Project beneficiaries were highly satisfied with the overall implementation. Beneficiaries were able to establish urban gardens where they continuously grow vegetables. Research revealed that container gardening outperforms SNAP hydroponics in terms of effectiveness. However, further research on the adaptability of crops to be planted and strengthening the marketing capability of beneficiaries must be implemented.