Quezon City to put up urban farm 

A seven-hectare land in Quezon City will be converted into a farming site to promote the importance of urban farming and help nearby residents get source of income through growing their own produce, according to a report by Manila Bulletin.

The local government on Friday said it has partnered with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to develop a land in Barangay Bagong Silangan for the “Buhay sa Gulay (Life in Vegetables)” project.

“We are happy to finally launch our Buhay sa Gulay. Aside from providing 70 residents in New Greenland an alternative source of income, we also ensure that they find enjoyment in managing and producing products from their own farm,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

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According to the city government, the new project is DAR’s second initiative after the local government of Manila did the same in Tondo.

Aside from DAR and DA, the local government also partnered with Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA) and Bread Society International to train and build the capacity of the project’s beneficiaries.

“This project is a huge help for our Quezon City residents as this can provide them with an alternative source of income and food supply,” DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones said, adding that they “are positive that other cities in Metro Manila would replicate this project.”

“This is a strategic solution to address issues of food production and sufficiency, and livelihood needs of Filipinos in urban communities,” he noted.

A memorandum of understanding will be signed by the partnered agencies, together with Barangay Bagong Silangan officials, to formalize the partnership, the local government said.

Beneficiaries will be trained by farmer scientists from DAR-CALABARZON, while the DA will provide them with machineries and tools.

According to DAR, the farm is expected to produce 765 metric tons (MT) of vegetables, including 29.7 MT eggplants, 0.7 MT sitao, 350 MT pechay, 280 MT mustasa, 25 MT squash, 80 okra, and 20 MT ampalaya.

Through the project, the city also aims to be a sustainable and climate-resilient city by developing alternative housing models for the beneficiaries, as New Greenland is a flood plain that endangers traditional housing designs.