Addressing Student Hunger: CCDC’s Initiatives Toward Zero Hunger

The Challenge of Student Food Insecurity

Student food insecurity – the lack of reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food – is a growing concern in many colleges and universities. When students are unsure where their next meal will come from, their academic performance and health can suffer. In fact, even at Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC), “many students face the constant worry of affording basic necessities like food”, a burden that “can really take a toll on their studies and overall well-being”. Recognizing that hunger should never hinder education, CCDC has begun taking steps aligned with the United Nations’ Zero Hunger goal to support student nutrition and welfare.

CCDC’s Commitment to Zero Hunger

CCDC has publicly committed to doing its part to combat hunger as part of its educational mission. One prominent effort is its alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger, demonstrated through community partnerships and campus policies. The college understands that ensuring students and communities are well-nourished is essential for them to thrive academically and personally.

Community Gardening for Food Security

CCDC students and faculty join community members in establishing vegetable gardens in urban settings, a sustainable approach to improving food security. With the Cordilleras as primarily a vegetable farming region, CCDC is also promoting urban gardening for students.Through its National Service Training Program (NSTP) and extension services, CCDC partnered with government agencies to promote sustainable agriculture and combat malnutrition in local communities. In 2024, CCDC joined the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s “Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay” (HAPAG) project, encouraging households to grow their own food. This community gardening initiative engages students, faculty, and residents in planting vegetables in backyards and communal plots. “The goal is to create self-sufficient homes, reducing food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty,” explained Barangay Kagawad Mercidonna Alos during one planting activity. CCDC’s NSTP Coordinator noted that the program’s primary aims include “helping reduce food insecurity and hunger” and supporting local feeding programs by providing sustained access to nutritious produce. By teaching communities to cultivate at home crops like pechay (bok choy), string beans, and taro, the college contributes beyond campus to a future where no family or student goes hungry. This outreach reflects CCDC’s broader commitment to “helping to end hunger, achieve food security, and improved nutrition” in the region.

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