PALO, Leyte – Residents in the northern part of Tacloban City will now have an additional income and better food options with the launching of a vegetable farm project.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has partnered with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Tacloban City government to promote and replicate the urban gardening project dubbed "Buhay sa Gulay" that was first launched in Tondo, Manila.

In a press statement on Monday, the DAR regional office said it would convert and develop a 23-hectare lot in New Kawayan village awarded under the government's Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) into a vegetable garden.

"This project is expected to contribute to the sufficient supply of food in the city and neighboring towns, aside from providing livelihood to farmers," it added.

The DA and its local counterpart has assured the provision of seeds and technical assistance for the beneficiaries, while DA will provide the garden tools and other farming materials.

Last week, recipient farmers has begun the land preparation which includes lay outing, plot making, and sowing, while the planting of seedlings is scheduled this week, initially covering one-hectare with fast-yielding crops.

This includes kangkong, pechay, lettuce, okra and pepino, targeting its first harvest in the last week of February, DAR said.

Under the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), the counterparts of other stakeholders to include agriculture falls under the nutrition sensitive programs. The contribution of DA and DAR will help the households provide income and food for the table through this program. # NASlabordo/G. Sabalza