In 2018, the National Nutrition Council celebrated the 44th Nutrition Month with the theme “Ugaliing magtanim, Sapat na nutrisyon aanihin!”, aiming to contribute to improved nutrition through improved food access by increasing the number of households, schools, and communities engaged in food gardens.
Unfortunately, COVID-19, a pandemic, altered the normal situations and behaviors of most of the countries, including the Philippines. Luzon, and some provinces in Visayas and Mindanao had to be placed in an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), as attempt to minimize the interaction of people and their mobility, making the population confined in their homes. ECQ also limited the food production, mainly by closing all factories, and food accessibility, as most store owners, and some markets closed their businesses.
With the current situation, Filipinos’ resiliency is being tested once again. Inorder to ensure that food will be served in the tables of their homes, local chief executives, local government units, and even household leaders had various effective solution. Most LGUs initiated mobile palengke’s and rolling stores in their respective areas. They had also included fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, and even dressed and live poultry, in their family food packs or relief goods. Local Agriculture Offices also distributed seeds and seedlings to their constituents.
In social media, many households already posted pictures of them preparing their soil, receiving their seeds and seedlings, and some others are already tending to their gardens and already harvesting produce. By having their own food gardens, it makes food already available to them, and it also makes their household food secure. In addition, food gardens provide diverse food sources containing many micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Is also increases the consumption of fruits and vegetables, thus preventing micronutrient deficiencies. Fresh produce with vitamins and minerals will also boost the immune system, giving additional protection against COVID-19.
In the 2018 Nutrition Month Talking points, some technologies in food gardening were also discussed such as Food Always In The Home (FAITH), hydroponics, bio-intensive gardening, and vertical gardening. But in this challenging time of social distancing and quarantine, magic square meter garden and urban gardening can be the most appropriate technology to start your own garden. Most of the established food gardens posted in social media followed container gardening, a type of urban gardening, which requires a small portion of your area, and all your plants will be planted in small containers.
Food gardens may be helpful in the current situation, but may we realize the importance of maintaining and sustaining these gardens even after the COVID-19 situation. Sustainability of the food gardens are also aimed in the 2018 Nutrition Month theme. Food gardens can also be part of our everyday living to ensure food accessibility and food security not just in times of emergency or disaster, but also for everyday day consumption of healthy and nutritious food. -EMArcinue
