Dole Asia has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture to promote and implement the department’sUrban Agriculture Programme (UAP).
Launched in April, the UAP seeks to secure food supply in urban areas, alleviate poverty, foster social integration and protect the environment through eco-friendly methods and innovative gardening methods.
William Dar, agriculture secretary of the Philippines, said the support of Dole Asia was particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We need to maximize the opportunity to produce our own food individually and collectively as we are still in the middle of this pandemic,” Dar said.
“We will continue to level up our efforts so that we, as a country, can survive through this Covid-19.”
Under the MOA Dole Asia will provide supplies such as vegetable seeds, plastic sheets and nets for the greenhouses. It will also provide technical assistance to ensure the maintenance and sustenance of the community gardens.
Dar thanked Dole Asia for its commitment and said the collaboration between the public and private sectors would ensure the success of this project.
“We are grateful for all our partners and we firmly believe that with all our collective efforts under the urban agriculture initiative, we will be able to produce more food that is available, affordable and nutritious for the families,” Dar said.
