Greening the Philippines’ concrete jungles

By Jonathan L. Mayuga24 January 2021 Philippines

Eyeing 33 of 146 highly urbanized cities as potential project sites for ‘Buhay sa Gulay,’ DAR uses urban farming program to boost food security and incomes of poor households.

Amid the continuing threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has launched an “aggressive” urban farming program that will convert idle lands into vegetable production plots in highly urbanized cities across the country.

DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones has seized the initiative to turn idle spaces in these so-called concrete jungles to become vegetable production areas.

(From right) DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones, Fr. Gaudencio Carandang Jr., Department of Agriculture representative and Planters Products president Ranilo Maderazo, and Department of Agrarian Reform-Calabarzon Regional Director Rene Colocar initiate the “pick, harvest and pay” activity. (Photo: Business Mirror))(From right) DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones, Fr. Gaudencio Carandang Jr., Department of Agriculture representative and Planters Products president Ranilo Maderazo, and Department of Agrarian Reform-Calabarzon Regional Director Rene Colocar initiate the “pick, harvest and pay” activity. (Photo: Business Mirror))

Rising veggie prices, shortfall

The move came amid skyrocketing prices of vegetables in local markets, with the Department of Agriculture (DA) projecting a supply shortfall of about 434,840 metric tons (MT) this year.

The BusinessMirror recently reported that local vegetable production this year is expected to reach 1.691 MT, while imports are pegged at 20,000 MT.

 The DA also estimated total vegetable demand for 2021 at 2 million metric tons (MMT), on the assumptions of a 110.198-million population and consumption of 18.24 kilograms per capita, the report added. This means the country is facing a 79-day vegetable supply shortfall, unless vegetable production is increased through the expansion of more production areas.
 

Rene E. Colocar, regional executive director for the Calabarzon area, told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview that Castriciones has already ordered the listing of potential sites outside Metro Manila following the successful implementation of the “Buhay sa Gulay” urban gardening program in Tondo, Manila, and Quezon City in November last year and early January this year, respectively.

“It was conceptualized to make communities in urban areas generate income amid the pandemic by turning idle lands into vegetable gardens,” says Colocar, who admitted that the innovative program is not within the regular mandate of the agency.

“Buhay sa Gulay” participants tend their vegetable plots at an 800-square-meter football field in Tondo, Manila. (Photo: DAR Public Assistance and Media Relations Service)“Buhay sa Gulay” participants tend their vegetable plots at an 800-square-meter football field in Tondo, Manila. (Photo: DAR Public Assistance and Media Relations Service)

Out of the box

The DAR is primarily mandated to distribute lands to landless farmers. The lead implementing agency of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the DAR is also tasked to ensure agrarian justice and provide various support services to farmers and ensure their productivity through capacity-building training.

“We have to think and go out of the box.  It also happened that there’s a projected production shortfall and the prices of vegetables are going up,” Colocar pointed out.

Launched in November 2019, the pilot site for Buhay sa Gulay in Tondo, an 8,000-square-meter soccer field of Saint John Don Bosco Parish, is now producing assorted vegetables. During its harvest festival early this month, farmers were able to earn P19,000 in just two hours of “pick and pay” activity.

On January 16, some 80 urban-dweller beneficiaries under the Buhay sa Gulay started planting portions of  a 7-hectare land in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, the second urban-farming project launched in Metro Manila, to provide barangay residents a steady and continuous supply of different vegetables throughout the year. The project in QC is in partnership with an existing community group.

Colocar said the QC project is expected to generate a monthly income of P12,000 for each urban dweller participant. “Based on our computation, with the available lots and projected production, the participants will be able to earn that much,” says Colocar.

“So far, we have developed one hectare in Quezon City. But the site will be expanded. From seven hectares, it will be 10 hectares because other private lot owners in the area want to lend their property,” he revealed.

In the next few days, the Buhay sa Gulay program will also be launched in Caloocan City.

“The Secretary has ordered regional offices of the DAR to identify more areas and out of the 146 highly urbanized cities, 33 of these have been identified as potential project sites,” added Colocar, also DAR’s official in charge of the program.

According to Colocar, turning idle lands in cities into vegetable plots will not only boost the country’s food basket in a time of crisis, but also help the urban poor earn from urban farming.

“Buhay sa Gulay” participants tend their vegetable plots at an 800-square-meter football field in Tondo, Manila. (Photo: DAR Public Assistance and Media Relations Service)“Buhay sa Gulay” participants tend their vegetable plots at an 800-square-meter football field in Tondo, Manila. (Photo: DAR Public Assistance and Media Relations Service)

‘Innovator’

Since his assumption, Castriciones has been known to introduce innovative programs in the DAR. Before the urban gardening program, the DAR chief initiated a housing project for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), a first in DAR’s history.

“In a way, this will promote lifestyle change,” he said.

Time for ARBOs to help

According to Colocar, the DAR program will also be banking on the help of agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) to provide technical support.

“What we want is for the ARBs in these ARBOs to pay it forward. Before, it was the DAR that helped them; now we are tapping them to help urban communities,” he said.

In the case of Quezon City, the planting activity is being undertaken in partnership with six ARBOs from DAR-Cavite and two ARBOs from DAR-Rizal.

“We have trained the farmers as part of the capacity-building phase of the program. Our DAR-ARBO farmer-scientists will help turn these idle lands into successful food-production areas in the future,” he said.

As part of the plan, he said participating urban communities will be organized and taught how to manage their own fund and, in general, how to do good business, like marketing their products, doing packaging, and managing their own finances until they become self-sustaining and self-reliant.

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