Susupe to pilot community garden project in the CNMI

Susupe will be piloting the first-ever community garden project in the CNMI.

The community garden, a 600-square meter plot in Tramoha Avenue, is a partnership between the village, the Board of Parole, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, the Saipan Mayor’s Office, and the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Services.

Precinct 2 Rep. Tina Sablan (Ind-Saipan) believes that the project will be a major point of pride for all residents of the Susupe village, and that the project is timely, given the economic challenges the CNMI is currently facing.

“There seems to be growing interest in people learning how to cultivate their own food. This community garden will be a good place to learn new skills and practice those skills, and enjoy the harvest, enjoy the fruits of our work,” Sablan said.

The garden was prepared for the Susupe community by the Board of Parole, as a way to integrate the parolees back into the community.

“We want the community to, instead of pushing them [parolees] out, we want them to take them in because they have changed. This is part of them giving to the community,” said Board of Parole chair Ramon B. Camacho. “Once we develop this, we bring the community, we let them take over, then once a month, the college [NMC-CREES] will come in, the [DLNR] Division of Agriculture will come in to visit the garden and assist the community on how to sustain and further improve it.”

Camacho also said that the garden will also teach about food sustainability. “Especially with this crisis we are facing. If there’s no shipment, and if we don’t start this thing, what are we going to put on the table? Nothing,” Camacho said, adding that as a producer himself, three benefits to being a farmer can be found: exercise, eating healthy, and profit.

The Saipan Mayor’s Office will be removing the debris around the garden to ensure that the crops are protected from vermin. DLNR forestry technician Pedro J. Tudela will be bringing into the Susupe community garden plants that are hard to find on Saipan, which he asks the village to protect.

DLNR and NMC-CREES will be helping the community facilitate polyculture and agroforestry into the garden, with agriculture research and extension agent Arnold Route helping the community build an agroforestry garden, emphasizing that food security is in agroforestry.

“One of the other goal is to encourage people to do more backyard gardening at their own home. This community garden is available for people to learn and practice, but also to take those skills with them to their own yards… we’re hoping [that the village] will really take ownership and take pride in this place and help maintain the garden and watch it thrive,” Sablan said.

For more information, contact Polly Omechelang at 237-6843 or email efnep@marianas.edu.