The Bio Intensive Gardening

(B.I.G.) Advocacy
Mac Ardy J. Gloria
DYEA 2012 Philippines
Outline and Background
 Bio Intensive Gardening
 Using a smaller gardening space
to produce higher yields
 Minimizing the consumption of
water for gardening
 Excluding the use of inorganic
fertilizers & biological pesticides
 Advantages
 Use water 3-8 times
more effectively
 Produce 2-6 times as
much food in the same
area
 Reduce energy demands
 Develop a local and
diverse seed base
Learning from the GP
 Pre-requisites in doing any action plan
 Well-identified issue/problem
 Participative interaction among the Community
 Clear understanding among stakeholders
 All-encompassing benefits, including future generations
 In terms of achieving sustainability
 Focus on the local initiative
 Emphasize on the Local independence
 Utilize the Local resources available
 Learning from the GP
 Appreciation has a vital role towards action realization

Appreciation
Awareness
and Respect

Empowerment

ACTION REALIZATION
Issues confronting the Community
 Target Area: Phase III, Soldiers
Hills IV, Cavite
 Approximately ten (10) households
 Low environmental & health awareness
 Has untapped land areas being dumped
with wastes
 Frequent use of inorganic chemicals for
gardening

 An organic method of gardening

needs to be appealed for within the
Community
Activities to be Implemented

Establishment of a small-scale
garden using B.I.G.

Environmental and health

lectures and orientations

Opening the garden for visits

from various communities
 Targeted people & their BENEFITS
 Local Community
 Sense of belongingness & ownership
 Greater awareness & understanding
Baranggay Local
 Self-sustaining
Officials Community
 Community Interaction & bonding
B.I.G. Advocacy
 Baranggay Officials
 Image-building; good political resume
Personal  More proactive in their responsibilities
 Personal
 Application of pharmaceutical courses
“Compounding herbal plants  Realize vision of taking care not only
as alternative medicines to the people’s health, but also the
common illnesses” environment
 Supporters and their BENEFITS
Supporters Form/s of Support BENEFITS
Department of Agriculture Seed packets; Lectures & Pilot model for other
(DA) – Bureau of Plant discussions about communities having similar
Industry (BPI) urban gardening issues
Local Municipality Resources, manpower and Respective constituents are
(Bacoor, Cavite) financial assistance the primary beneficiaries
Local Community members Provide unused lands for Healthy lifestyle through
owning unused lands the B.I.G. advocacy active recreation; shared
harvest
International Institute of Demonstrate the act of Bio Serves as an additional hand
Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) Intensive Gardening in achieving their goals
DENSO PAC Mentors for planning the CSR activities; the
B.I.G. advocacy; provide Community will know about
networks and connections DENSO’s sustainability
for promoting the efforts for the environment
Advocacy
 Activities
Schedule

Item of Activity 2012 / 2013

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Coordination with possible supporters

and sponsors
Consultation with the stakeholders
The B.I.G. Advocacy: Proposal
Presentation; including Lectures
Commencement of the B.I.G. Advocacy
(Overview of the Advocacy)
Implementation of the B.I.G. Advocacy
Opening the garden for visits
Communal Celebration
(Harvesting, Cooking & Sharing)
Monitoring and Evaluation of the B.I.G.
Advocacy
Plan of project after ONE YEAR
 A Monitoring Committee will be formed
 Led by the Baranggay Officials
 As a part of the Community, I will help in the
monitoring and will serve as a channel
between the Community and the different
stakeholders (e.g. government agencies)

 Continuous lectures and discussions

about health and environment
 Expansion of the Advocacy to other
community households
 Cost of the Action Plan
Items Quantity Unit Price Cost Remarks
Seed Packets 10 50 (500) Sponsored
Organic Fertilizers 40 25 1,000 Soil Conditioner
Planting Equipment / – – 3,000 Some are already available
Materials (e.g. shovel)
Lectures and Discussion – – 2,000 –
Materials
Snacks during lectures – – 1,000 –
and discussions
Miscellaneous Expenses – – 3,000 –
TOTAL 10,000 The budget is still NOT
enough; financial assistance
is still being gathered*
*Financial support has been collected through sponsorship letters from different Departments and Baranggay officials
Challenges for Implementing AP
The Community may be busy to lend a
hand in the project

Changing the perception of the

Community that gardening is difficult

Time Management (taking my

Undergraduate Studies)

No practical experience in Bio Intensive

Gardening

Financial Constraints
Solving problems and constraints
 DENSO, JEEF and Friends
 Practical experience and learning in gardening and agriculture
 Advice and suggestions on how to effectively publicize the Advocacy
in attracting more local people
 DYEA/DENSO PAC Support
 Serve as mentors for the B.I.G. Advocacy
 Provide a formal endorsement from DYEA which will convey the
project’s credibility
 Provide networks and connections which will serve as avenues for
promotion of the Community’s B.I.G. advocacy