By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter)
LAOAG CITY—Persons
deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Jail will soon have a
stable source of fresh vegetables grown on a healthy soil which they themselves
produce out of scraps from the kitchen.
As a pilot site for
household composting and community gardening project, at least 162 PDLs at the
INPJ are currently being trained to turn their food wastes into organic soil.
The organic soil comes
from fermented food wastes mix with locally-available materials that helps in
faster decomposition without foul odor.
Using improvised
bucket with tight cover and a faucet for draining purposes, food wastes are
properly segregated so that these may no longer be transported to the city
landfill which are becoming congested due to increasing waste production.
During the launching
of the household composting project, Estrella Sacro, chief of the provincial
government’s environment and natural resources office said, “It is high time
for everyone to adopt to change as the universe keeps on changing.”
As part of the
“Narimat nga Aglawlaw” project, an Ilokano term which means a "bright
environment" program for the province of Ilocos Norte, local environment
officials here are advocating for responsible waste management.
Starting with the
inmates of the INPJ as partners for the household composting project, Ilocos
Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, who is on the frontline in advocating
this project, hopes that every household in the province will follow suit.
“We are just starting
and we hope to sustain it with the cooperation of the community particularly in
urban areas with limited space for urban gardening,” said Mrs. Araneta-Marcos
as she shared her vision for every Ilokano home to have an edible garden to
ensure food security amid pandemic.
She said rural areas
can likewise adopt said technology so that they may no longer be applying
synthetic fertilizer in growing their own food.
At the INPJ, youth
volunteers led by the 4-H club are assisting the inmates in developing their
organic gardens located at the back of the INPJ compound.
Crisner Lagazo,
president of the 4-H Club and an accredited trainer of the agriculture training
institute said they are teaching the inmates with new agricultural practices
which they can immediately apply in the food garden.
“We are helping them
set-up vermibeds for them to have organic fertilizers and soon we will also
introduce livestock and piggery project,” he said.
For her part, INPJ
warden Benilda Sadian said it has been her “long-time dream” for the INPJ to
have an organic and stable source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the
inmates.
"We just don't
know how to start but we are thankful for showing us how," said Ms. Sadian
during the official launching of the household composting project along with a
seminar and hands-on training on urban gardening and edible landscaping at the
INPJ.
INPJ inmates make household bucket for composting.
Lei Adriano
Wanted Soilmates.
Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos leads the launching of a
household composting project at the INPJ. In Ilocos Norte, the provincial
government is encouraging everyone to turn their food wastes into a healthy
soil for urban gardening.
Lei Adriano
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