To encourage residents to participate in food security, the Quezon City government has launched Sharon Farm in a 5,000-square meter lot in Barangay Novaliches to provide food and livelihood through urban farming, according to Mayor Joy Belmonte.
“It is nice to see that there are now more urban farms in the city since we started the program 10 years ago. This is just one testimony of the success of Joy of Urban Farming project,” Belmonte said.
“This will not only beef up the capability of the residents to plant and avoid hunger but also provides livelihood and encourage the people to plant within their backyard and eat nutritious food,” she added.
Sharon Farm is one of the city’s community model farms under the GrowQC Food Security Program serving as a “feeder farm” to other urban gardens and farms by providing seedlings and other agricultural inputs.
Belmonte is the chairperson of QC Food Security Task Force.
Emmanuel Gaa, task force co-chairperson, thanked the urban farmers and the city’s partners for their commitment in helping feed the most food vulnerable and provide income opportunities through urban farming.
“We thank Bishop Gaa and Fr. Joseph Buslon in making this a reality for more residents of Quezon City here in Novaliches. Thank you all again for being here. This is just the beginning and I look forward to a lively community farm and continuous partnership with the diocese. Mabuhay po kayo,” he said.