Urban Migration is a reality here in this country. Although according to NSO Statistics, 60% of the 100 million Philippine population still resides in classified “rural” areas, this does not mean that they are not subject to urbanization.
In a span of 20 years, seemingly rural areas have become “urbanized”. Also, known lands once classified as agricultural has been converted into residential and even commercial use.
The effect of the success experienced by rural citizens in education their children who in turn never returned to do agricultural work but instead went into other urban based livelihoods and jobs is adding population pressure in urban centers in the country.
The effects are the following:
1. Increase of urban population and migration
2. Shift in livelihood from rural (agriculture) based to urban based (Services and Manufacturing)
3. Migration abroad (OFW)
4. Decrease in available land for agriculture and thereby decrease in agricultural and food production.
Noting the increase of urban population and the decreasing food production, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has embarked on a program to augment food production using the urban areas.
Using Israeli Agritech methods and demonstrated in areas in Davao, the DA has allocated Php75 million this year in starting urban gardening programs.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol calls the project Vegetable Gardens in the City. This will be done in partnerships with the local government units (LGUs) and urban poor families will be the participants.
The project will be initially implemented in Taguig, Manila and Quezon City. The DA will provide technical, financial and marketing support. The Israely mode of Greenhouse farming will be utilized. Such greenhouse technology has been a mainstay in Israel and has been successful in boosting the yield of crops and is even based in the Negev Desert.
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