By
Mary May A. Abellon
DIPOLOG CITY - The Department of Agriculture (DA)-9 conducted here recently a refresher
course for public school teachers on the basic principles of vegetable gardening
employing Natural Farming Technology System (NFTS) with public school teachers
as participants.
Elementary and secondary
public school teachers from the different municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte
converged in the city to take up vegetable gardening lessons to achieve not only sustainability in production but
preserving the environment as well.
“This
undertaking is intended to promote and increase the consumption of vegetables,
particularly among students because Region 9 has the lowest rate of vegetable
consumption,” DA Regional Seeds and Natural Farming Coordinator Ana S. Aying
said.
“That
is why, these vegetables should be fed to students in every feeding program
activity of each school,” she added.
DA’s
NFTS aims to produce vegetables free from harmful chemicals which may cause
diseases.
This
program embarks on the production of safe, quality and healthy food to fight hunger
and malnutrition.
Ms.
Aying also pointed out that the used of organic fertilizer is one way to preserve
soil fertility.
“This
seminar is in line with the Gulayan ng Paaralan under the High Value Crop program
that will enable students to experience gardening,” said Zamboanga del Norte Agricultural
Program Coordinator Vicente Balingit.
After
the seminar, teachers were given garden tools like shovel and seedling plates
and vegetable seeds. (PIA9)