Tuguegarao City, CAGAYAN - The Provincial Local Government Unit of Quirino Province led by the Provincial Nutrition Committee launched in June 2020, the Search for Best Vegetable Garden to ensure food security in every Quirinian household which are safe, healthy and nutritious specially in the time of pandemic. This project also aims to provide alternative income to households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through selling of their excess farm produce in their satellite markets in the whole province.
“ Ang proyektong ito ay nakakasiguro na may malapit at ready to access foods ang ating mga pamilya lalo na yung mga pamilyang may 6-23 months na batang undernourished at mga buntis. Sa ganitong paraan ay maiiwasan ang paglala o pagkakaroon ng undernutrition dahil ligtas at masustansya ang mga tanim na gulay,” Ms. Rhodes added.
The Search for Best Vegetable Garden started since June 2020 and almost every households in the six (6) municipalities of the province registered in the the following categories: 1.) General – open for all families, 2.) Family with undernourished preschool or school children, 3.) Family with pregnant and lactating women, BNSs/BHWs and Provincial Local Government Unit Employee.
The monitoring and evaluation process of the Search for Best Vegetable Garden included an actual visit to the vegetable garden wherein judges take their time to properly evaluate the gardening process through the provided logbook of every households. They also considered the variety of vegetables planted and if the participants used organic way of planting and maintaining their garden.
The criteria for judging include:
|
Criteria |
Points |
|
1.) Quality and kind of vegetable garden |
50 |
|
2.) Arrangement/plotting |
10 |
|
3.) Innovation |
15 |
|
4.) Presence of composting facility |
15 |
|
5.) With fruit bearing trees |
10 |
The Food Security Team of every municipality, Barangay Officials and Barangay Nutrition Scholars aided the judges during the monitoring and evaluation process of the said contest from July- October 2020.
Lastly, grand winners of the Search for Best Vegetable Garden will be announced in November and will bring home P 7,500.00 for general category and P 3,500.00 for the other categories. Consolation prizes, certificates of appreciation and gardening tools will also be provided by the PNC.
“Ang nutrition program po ay ‘di lamang ang pagbibigay ng micronutrient supplementation and dietary supplementation. Mas mainam po kung maeducate natin ang mga pamilya na at encourage sila na magkaroon ng vegetable garden sa kanikanilang bahay. Sa Quirino, ‘di lamang po FAITH (Food Always in The Home) ang meron kami. Marami rin kaming FRIEND (Food Raised Is Everyone’s Need for Development),” stressed out by Ms. Luningning Rhodes, District Nutrition Program Coordinator-Province of Quirino, as she relates to the team the inspiring story behind the successful of launching of Search for Best Vegetable garden in the province.###FVV
