DAVAO CITY—The once-bare rooftop of the four-storey Davao City Hall annex building has burst into life—transformed into a garden of colorful flowers, green herbs and vegetables by the Department of Agriculture.
The garden was opened Monday afternoon with the official turnover of the project by the DA to the Davao City Agriculturist’s Office.
The 250-meter roof deck garden used empty containers and plastic bottles to grow the plants, and was a collaborative project of the DA, CAO, and the Allied Botanical Corp.
As part of the Urban Edible Landscape Project, the garden will serve as the laboratory for the city government’s planned massive urban gardening project.
“It is a demo unit for urban container gardening,” CAO chief Leo Brian Leuterio said, adding that Dabawenyos could grow organic vegetables and herbs and spices right in their homes or offices. “We will open this to the public soon with the primary intention of inspiring people in the community to replicate the concept in their own backyards.”
DA Undersecretary Evelyn Lavina attended the event and expressed the department’s full support to the city’s plans and programs on agriculture.
Agriculture is among Mayor Sara Duterte’s 10 priorities for the city, saying previously she wanted to make sure that Dabawenyos, especially children, have enough food to eat.
