BRGY. MAHARLIKA, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur - The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) XIII in partnership with the City Agriculture Office of Bislig City conducted a Technical Briefing for the establishment of the Integrated Urban Agriculture Garden on June 1-3, 2022.

The activity aims to educate the peri-urban dwellers to produce their own food and, ensure the availability, of safe and affordable food in urban areas. Also, for them to appreciate the importance of organic farming and its advantage to health and the economy as well as establish a model urban garden in the community.

A total of 21 participants were composed of Barangay Officials and Barangay Health Workers (BHW) from the said village has participated in the said activity.

Engr. Matt Andrew G. Baquiano, Agriculturist II of ATI-RTC XIII served as the resource person for the topics on the basic urban gardening technologies. He demonstrated how to make organic concoctions such as Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ), Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ), Fish Amino Acid (FAA), and Oriental Herbal Nutrients (OHN). Further, he discussed different technologies for crop production, care management, and maintenance. He also encouraged the participants to use available materials to produce homemade organic fertilizer and pesticides.

Indeed, the said activity was successful through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City Agriculture Office (CAO) of Bislig City represented by Allice Milan, City Agriculturist, and Samuel Lahoy, Barangay Captain, and Engr. Matt Andrew Bacquiano, Agriculturist II of ATI-RTC XIII.