The Special Fund for Agricultural Development (FEDA) has launched a new and ambitious initiative called “Siembra Tu Patio”, with the objective of fostering a love for agriculture within families and promoting sustainable practices. This program has been launched in the towns of Matayaya in San Juan and Los Alcarrizos in Santo Domingo.
According to economist Hecmilio Galván, the project will be implemented during the month of July and will cover, in its first stage, the 30 municipalities of the head municipalities. The mayor’s offices and neighborhood councils will be the main actors in this initiative, which seeks to raise awareness among family members, especially children, of the importance of agriculture for better nutrition.
The program will train residents in cultivating their own backyards, providing vegetable seeds and fruit seedlings, as well as practical knowledge to grow fresh food in their homes. During the launch day, comprehensive training was offered on cultivation techniques adapted to the urban environment, focusing on efficient space management and the responsible use of natural resources.
As part of the commitment to the community, more than 3,000 fruit tree seedlings were donated for planting in backyards and vegetable seeds were distributed for the creation of 300 mini-gardens in various local areas of both locations. These actions seek not only to improve the food security of participating families, but also to strengthen the social fabric and promote community cohesion through care for the environment.
“Today we are initiating this new project ‘Siembra Tu Patio’ with the objective of filling the backyards of all Dominican homes with life and food,” said Hecmilio Galván, director of FEDA. “We want to recover the tradition of having a small pantry in every home, with plants such as vegetables, lemons, oranges, mangoes, Brazil nuts, avocados and vegetables that provide fresh and healthy food on a continuous basis,” he added.
The “Siembra Tu Patio” initiative, promoted by FEDA, seeks to transform urban and semi-urban backyards into productive and green areas, educating and empowering the community to become active agents of change towards a more sustainable and healthy future. It is hoped that this program will inspire more people to adopt responsible agricultural practices and thus contribute to the overall well-being of Dominican society.
The inaugural event was held at the Matayaya Park in Las Matas de Farfán and at the José Francisco Peña Gómez Park in Los Alcarrizos, bringing together building authorities, community members and local leaders to inaugurate this transformative initiative.
Source:Presidencia.gob.do
