In a move to strengthen its efforts in promoting better nutrition in the country, Monsanto Philippines recently launched an educational roadshow dubbed as Monsanto Fun Kitchen at Nabatasan Elementary School in Iloilo City.
Monsanto Corporate Affairs Lead Charina Garrido-Ocampo said during a media briefing that the Mobile Fun Kitchen was the second leg of the company’s nutrition campaign in the country
Ocampo said that the program forms part of the company’s continuing efforts to make balanced meals accessible especially amid the 3.6 million stunted Filipino children who suffer from the consequences of malnutrition. In a study, the Philippines ranked 9th in terms of countries with highest burden of stuntin.
“Monsanto is dedicated to nourishing communities by ensuring access to nutritious foods. Today we realize this commitment to nutrition through Monsanto Fun Kitchen, which seeks to teach proper nutrition at school levels. Every Filipino child deserves access to a balanced meal,” Ocampo shared during her opening remarks at the launch.
The Mobile Fun Kitchen was participated by over 415 students, including parents and faculty members of Nabitasan Elementary School. The program demonstrated to children the value of healthy eating and taught parents and teachers easy-to-cook and healthy recipes that can be easily replicated in their homes.
The initiative also explained the role of biotechnology in producing and farming nutritious food. Shemaine Castillo, Regulatory Affairs Lead of Monsanto, explained during the program that biotechnology has been a proven breeding method that not only improves the quantity of harvest but also increases levels of minerals and vitamins.
“As an agriculture company, we especially look at biotechnology as a novel approach in producing nutritious produce. By applying biotechnology in agriculture, we protect crops such as corn, lettuce and tomatoes from pests and diseases, allowing us in turn to have better yield,” Castillo said. She added that “we use biotechnology to develop new varieties of plant seeds with a range of desirable characteristics, such as being able to resist certain insects or harsh weather conditions.”
The Fun Kitchen, according to Ocampo, was part of the broader initiative of Monsanto to boost its community efforts in Iloilo and other parts of the country. “For almost 50 years, Monsanto has been working on some substantial and meaningful programs meant to improve Filipinos’ lives. Today in Iloilo, we continue the tradition of giving back to the communities where we live and work, striving towards the improvement of food, nutrition, and the overall wellbeing of Ilonggos.”
