Cadiz City in Negros Occidental is converting the rooftop of the local government-run food court into a farming haven as part of its food security program.

In a statement on Wednesday, April 30, Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said the city’s unique farming initiative aims to serve as a model for sustainable agriculture and urban greening.

“We will produce food up in the food court, and we will ensure that this will be sustainably implemented through the years,” he added.

Escalante said the Tingog party-list has committed to provide a funding of P15 million for the city government’s rooftop farming advocacy, which will be piloted on a larger scale by converting the rooftop of the two-year-old food court into a farming area.

He said he wants Cadizeños to embrace the new norm of marrying architecture and agriculture to usher the best synergy toward food security and a healthy environment.

“With rooftop farming, we will make Cadiz not just a driver for eco-friendly community, but also a promoter of a well-sustained food security mission,” he said.

He said they are promoting rooftop farming to also demonstrate how cities can utilize available spaces to cultivate food and promote environmental sustainability.

The city’s innovative farming system was featured during the Panaad sa Negros Festival last month as the “Cadiz City Green Roof.” It was planted with upland kangkong, spring onion, garlic chives, RC27 rice, lettuce, pechay, sweet potatoes, and Malabar spinach.

Escalante said the advocacy will also help sustain the city’s “zero hunger” initiative, which made it one of the first “Walang Gutom” national awardees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development last year.

The city’s “Walang Gutom” Awards entry was an innovative and effective anti-hunger program dubbed “Pagkaon Aton Tatapon (PAT): A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Food Security,” at the Local Government Unit-City Level. (PNA)