The Quezon City government and the CGIAR Resilient Cities Initiative have committed to work together to further beef up food security through new technologies and practices that promote sustainable food production.

Aside from developing and implementing new technologies, the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will also help improve access to markets and strengthen the capacity of local farmers to adapt to challenges.

“CGIAR’s engagement with the Quezon City Local Government brings forward a governance approach that relies on grassroots data gathering,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in her speech.

She added that the agreement will help enhance QC’s current best practices in improving food systems, and “bring us closer to the goal of becoming food secure and resilient through our Grow QC and Joy of Urban Farming programs.”

The partnership will also establish the first-ever Vendor Business School (VBS) program, which aims to help vendors in Quezon City by equipping them with the right tools and knowledge to scale up their enterprises and livelihoods.

CGIAR Resilient Cities works with public and private sector partners to identify, adapt, and promote technologies and business models that support the reduction, recovery, and safe reuse of urban food waste and other organic waste and wastewater.

Aside from CGIAR Resilient Cities, Belmonte said the city government has partnered with various organizations to craft sound policies and create impactful and meaningful programs for a more sustainable and resilient city that will improve the welfare of 3.2 million QCitizens.

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