November 3, 2020

In today’s world where modernity and urbanization have taken primacy, it’s easy to think of agriculture as something difficult and time-consuming. Despite being an agricultural country, the Philippines has been left behind in the agricultural sector—and with the COVID-19 pandemic changing our lives indefinitely, concerns over food accessibility and security have arisen.

But this doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. Quite the contrary, actually. Under the lockdown, more and more Filipinos have discovered the joy of growing their own produce in the comfort of their homes. It is now only a matter of taking this hobby to the next level.

Robi del Rosario found himself interested in urban farming after the birth of his daughter in 2012. He wanted to be able to ensure that the food they eat is highly-nutritious and organic. This desire for quality produces blossomed into a full-fledged passion that built Uproot, an enterprise that aims to provide local communities with healthy, fresh, and nutritious produce.

Speaking in an ESME webinar titled, Urban Agriculture: Can It Feed Our Cities? Last August 29, Robie detailed the many sustainable solutions Uproot offers. Focusing mainly on hydroponics and aquaponics, which utilize water to cultivate plants, they came up with a food production system that can thrive in urban areas as small as four square feet. These compact production systems can yield up to 20 plants that range from beans to herbs. Customizable and easy to use, these systems are fit for any budding plant enthusiast out there. “Parang ano siya, ‘plug-and-play’ sa mga bahay,” he explains.

Robi also emphasizes that urban farming can save up to 50% of a monthly income, as well as an exciting business opportunity too. Moreover, urban farming is a way to grow more food using fewer resources with a zero-carbon footprint; not to mention you can also have a variety of fresh and safe crops in your own backyard. “Our food production system takes out the hard parts of growing plants,” Robi assures the audience.

He also believes that now more than ever, we need reliable food production systems in place. Robi has witnessed how the pandemic has highlighted the flaws in food distribution, especially in highly-populated urban areas. Joshua Aragon of Zagana.com shares the same sentiment, concerned with the ill-prepared supply chains in the metro.

Joshua launched Zagana back in January, aiming to create a food-secure Philippines.

Speaking in another ESME webinar titled Farming for a Sustainable Future on August 22, he revealed the tenets of his start-up. Zagana is a platform that bridges the gap between Filipino farmers and consumers by supplying fresh produce from the Cordillera region to Metro Manila through a network of distribution hubs from farm to city, continually ensuring high quality at every turn.

 But for Joshua, Zagana is more than just a lucrative business—it is also a social responsibility. He prioritizes empowering the farming communities they source their produce from, making sure that the farmers get fair deals for their hard work. As of now, Zagana has helped 20,000 farmers and 150,000 families.

To guarantee accessibility, Zagana has partnered with multiple platforms such as GrabMart, Lazada, and Foodpanda. With multiple stock houses around the metro, in just a few clicks you can get high-quality produce delivered. Joshua is aiming for sustainability with Zagana, saying, “Kahit bumagyo, kahit lumindol, o kahit magkaroon ulit ng volcanic eruption, alam mong mayroon kang kukunan ng pagkain.”

Plagued by many problems, agriculture in the Philippines is on shaky ground. But with renewed interest in urban farming and sustainable and empowering solutions by local entrepreneurs, the future seems to be in the right hands.

To know more, you may watch the webinars mentioned in the article here: 

We also have an upcoming webinar by Francheska Regala

By: Glenielle Geraldo Nanglihan

Glenielle has been writing since she was ten years old. She is currently the Features editor of The LaSallian, De La Salle University-Manila’s student publication. 

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