GReenSCape Fieldtrip 1: Exploring Urban Agriculture in Metro Manila
The Growing Resilience with Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities (GReenSCape) project launched in June of 2024 with the goal of investigating the multifunctional sustainability and resilience benefits of urban agriculture. Urban agriculture has become more popular in recent years, as city planners, businesses, and citizens are using it to offset disruptions in global food supplies, such as those brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. However, urban agriculture can help cities cultivate more than just food. Urban agriculture can also provide alternative income streams, increase access to green spaces rich in biodiversity, and contribute to more circular resource flows. To better understand these diverse impacts, and how they can be best supported, the GReenSCape team explores how different types of urban agriculture are shaping communities and the environment, in both Metro Manila, the Philippines, and Vienna, Austria.
To begin this exciting journey, James Vandenberg, a PhD Candidate in the Urban Studies Working Group, travelled to Metro Manila from Aug 10th to Sept 23rd, 2024. The goal of the project’s first phase was to enhance the team’s understanding of how urban agriculture is evolving and impacting Metro Manila, to build a supportive network of engaged stakeholders, and to learn about the complex and dynamic context shaping the urban farming sector in this 18 million person metropolis. Quezon City, the most populated of Metro Manila’s 16 cities, was chosen as a perfect place to begin, as the Municipal government, in 2012, began the Joy of Urban Farming Initiative, which has greatly expanded since 2021, resulting in the creation of over 1200 farms.
Over the 6 weeks, James visited different farms, participated in workshops, got lost in local markets, and talked with inspiring people, passionate about urban agriculture and growing healthy, delicious food. He met with a wide range of actors, including policymakers from the National Urban & Peri-Urban Agriculture Program, the Department of Science & Technology, and Local District Chiefs, and scientists from the University of the Philippines. He also connected with youth sustainability advocates, NGOs, such as the Good Food Community, and Food Today, Food Tomorrow, and community farmers in informal settlements. Through these conversations, he gained insights into both the triumphs and the challenges shaping urban farming in Metro Manila.
For the first interview, James visited the lead agriculturalist at the Joy of Urban Farming Initiative, to learn about their expansive implementation of demonstration farms, which provide aspiring urban farmers with the knowledge and supplies they need to begin growing nutritious food, in the middle of the densest city in the world. Moreover, Quezon City’s demonstration farms, such as those in Santo Cristo, and Batasan Hills, which are government led, and community supported, also educate people, especially children and youth, on nutrition, the importance of developing sustainable food systems, and on different growing techniques, such as hydroponics, composting, seed selection, and plant care. From distributing growing supplies, reducing urban waste, and re-connecting people with nature, to empowering local schools, churches, and community organizations to create meaningful change, these demonstration farms prove that urban agriculture can act as a gateway to re-imagine the role of food and farming in cities.
Another inspiring experience was the trip to the lush Sunnyville Community Model Farm, which empowers urban farmers to grow organically and with zero-waste. The farm provides hands-on training so farmers can gain experience with different growing methods, such as hydro and aquaponics, learn to develop their own circular economy networks, and start small businesses. For its creative and holistic approach to urban agriculture, Sunnyville won the ‘Most Innovative Urban Farm’ award in 2023, in Quezon City’s annual urban agriculture competition. The competition is held to bring together enthusiastic urban farmers and discover intriguing ways urban agriculture is being used to improve the wellbeing of the city’s people and (re)-integrate biodiverse rich green spaces throughout the city’s 141 districts.
The potential for urban agriculture to re-shape urban planning and development values has spilled over into other cities in Metro Manila as well, such as in Fort Bonifacio. The BGC Community Farm challenges our perception of how land is valued in cities, as it is placed amongst some of the highest priced real estate in Metro Manila, just down the road from large financial firms like JP Morgan Chase and PWC. The farm embraces this opportunity to illustrate the importance of (re)integrating farming into the city, by providing spaces for community events, for escaping the heat, or for helping people connect with food and nature. The farmers, who are passionate about social and environmental sustainability, are always eager to welcome newcomers and community members around the farm. They also host engaging workshops and support an empowering youth advocacy program, where volunteers are encouraged to develop and implement their own projects that showcase the many benefits of urban farming.
The first GReenSCape fieldtrip offered a rich and inspiring glimpse into how urban agriculture is reshaping Metro Manila’s communities, landscapes, and visions for sustainable futures. From government-led demonstration farms to innovative community-driven initiatives, the diversity of approaches highlights the potential of urban farming to address food, climate, and social challenges, in an inclusive, and empowering way. These early insights will guide the GReenSCape team as they continue to explore how urban agriculture contributes to more resilient, sustainable, and equitable cities. As the project moves forward, the connections built, and lessons learned in Metro Manila, will serve as a strong foundation for comparative research and collaborative action in both the Philippines and Austria.
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