BAGUIO CITY May 08 – Organic agriculture practitioners will have the chance to display their products to the public during the upcoming annual Agricultural Fair at the Igorot Garden on May 15-31, 2019.
Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., chairman of the City Council Committee on Market, Trade, Commerce and Agriculture, said that the annual conduct of the fair is part of the local government’s institutionalized activities that have been lined up for the celebration of Urban Farmers’ Month to help in the promotion of the city’s agriculture sector.
Aside from the display of organically produced agricultural crops in the fair, Yangot added there will also be lectures conducted by experts in various aspects of organic farming to teach interested residents how to produce their own supply of agricultural crops for their families.
The institutionalized celebration of Urban Farmers Month every May was enshrined in a resolution authored by Councilor Yangot and approved by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to help boost the practice of urban gardening that could serve as an added attraction for visitors frequenting the city considering that people could maximize the limited spaces in their residences for the production of agricultural crops.
Aside from food security, the local legislator stated the existence of organic farms and urban gardens in the city will also help in the recycling of the city’s solid waste and could also become an attraction because unique designs can be presented in the backyard of residences.
The conduct of the Agricultural Fair at the Igorot Park is now on its third year and the number of exhibitors continue to increase because of the increasing number of residents actively involved in the production of organically-grown crops as part of a healthy lifestyle.
The celebration of the Urban Farmers Month is now being handled by the City Agricultural Division composed of three agriculturists under the direct supervision of the City Veterinary Office.
One of the activities lined up for this year’s celebration of Urban Farmers Month is the Search for the Best Urban Garden among urban gardening practitioners based in the different barangays with the first prize cash prize of P25,999, second place P15,000 and the third prize winner will get some P10,000, apart from the 10 consolation prizes that will be distributed to the adjudged winners.
Yangot urged the public to patronize the products of the city’s organic farmers by visiting the upcoming Agricultural Fair and attend the various lectures during the duration of the activity to inspire them to embrace the practice of organic farming and urban gardening to help strengthen the city’s agriculture sector.
It is only during the present administration of Mayor Domogan with Councilor Yangot at the helm when the agriculture department gave importance to the provision of adequate assistance for the growth of the city’s agriculture sector.**By Dexter A. See
