Military personnel to train for disaster assistance at Botanic Garden

More than 25 military personnel are being trained to assist with disaster relief in the Pacific Region with a seminar at the San Diego Botanic Garden next week.

Agriculture Development for Armed Forces Pre-Deployment Training (ADAPT), is hosting the training seminar designed to give the men and women in various branches of the armed services the skills they need to stabilize an environment after a typhoon, hurricane or other natural disaster, so farming and the local food systems recover quickly. The program is administered by the Institute for Food and Agriculture at Fresno State and will be held at the Garden on Dec. 6 and 7 from 1 to 4 p.m.

“Southeast Asia is a region of small farmers. When natural disasters strike, food security is often destabilized,” ADAPT Project Manager Paul Sommers said in a news release. “ADAPT teaches service personnel the basics of what to do with communities before a disaster to minimize damage, as well as how best to respond afterward to insure a quick recovery and return to stability. In short, they learn the ADAPT message — agriculture matters.”

The Botanic Garden in Encinitas makes an ideal training ground for military personnel deployed to the Pacific Region, according to ADAPT. The subtropical fruit garden in the SDBG contains many of the same varieties of plants found in these regions including bananas, mangos and citrus fruits.

“San Diego Botanic Garden is very pleased to have a role in helping our military learn important skills they employ when on disaster response deployment around the world,” said Julian Duval, Garden President and CEO. “These talented and dedicated individuals also clearly enjoy the chance to spend time in the Garden, and while here, also serve us by providing volunteer work on projects that require a larger team, such as trail improvements and rain water retention. It is a pleasure to have ADAPT and honored members of our military learning and serving at the Garden.”

— Submitted press release