KORONADAL CITY, Philippines (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) set up vegetable gardens in 403 schools in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur to help address the problem on food security and malnutrition.

Dubbed “Programang Agrikulturang Pilipino – Gulayan sa Paaralan,” the project is part of the accelerated hunger mitigation program of the government and involves the establishment of a 200-square meter vegetable garden in each of the selected schools.

A corresponding number of teachers will serve as focal persons and will receive training on vegetable cultivation and on ways to encourage children and the rest of the community members to eat vegetables and grow them in their own backyard.

“We hope to enhance food security in some of the impoverished communities in the region and promote the consumption of vegetables through this program,” said Salik Panalunsong, field operations chief of the DAF-ARMM.