The project will provide vegetable seed packets, garden tools and materials so that the earthquake survivors can start backyard gardening and ensure food security. International food aid will be gone in a short while and will never be enough. Meanwhile gardening is easy to do, will provide relaxation and value for the depressed survivors and best of all will provide food and nutrients on a daily basis. The survivors do not have to wait for long since some vegetables mature in 22 days.
The great problem during this time is hunger for the thousands of eartquake survivors. One practical solution is backyard vegetable gardening. Vegetables will be grown using simple hydrophonics or soil-less cultivation and containers and in available spaces and using recycled materials as growing medium. Fertilizer will come from household wastes which comprises 90% organic. Vegetable production will be staggered so harvest can be done regularly.
Harvests from the vegetable gardens will provide much-needed food relief to the survivors. They will have also some productive time that will help assuage their depression and severe loss. Having importance and purpose in life is very much needed by the survivors aside from having food in the table everyday. This is so important for hard to reach and far flung areas who cannot be reached by food aid.
Food and economic resilience by the survivors and stable mental condition will be the potential long-term impact of this project.
