Every week, armed with scissors and crates, about 18 maintenance and security staff at San Miguel Corp.'s (SMC) head office complex in Ortigas trudge muddy paths behind the company's iconic building, their chatter and laughter filling the air.

They comb neatly arranged vegetable beds, eager to accomplish one of their most important tasks for the week: harvest from their very own urban farms.

Together, they comprise the first batch of participants in the company's Backyard "Bukid" urban farming project where each is given a plot to grow their own vegetables and use their harvest to either augment their own food supply, or earn extra income by selling them to other employees.

Productive use of idle land

More than a year since the project was green-lit by SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang, it has more than lived up to its purpose of making productive use of idle land at the head office property.

The SMC Backyard Bukid has already produced over 600 kilos of bok choy, camote, eggplant, kangkong, green lettuce, romaine lettuce, mustard, okra, siling labuyo, pechay, cilantro, winged bean and kale.

"Our goal is to create an environment where our employees and support staff can learn new skills and gain new experiences to help them become more resilient and self-sufficient especially in these uncertain times. We have similar ongoing programs at some of our host communities in the provinces. This version at our head office is much smaller in scale. But every small effort goes a long way," Ang said.

Andy Detorres, one of SMC's messengerial staff, highlights how teamwork has been key to making this project successful.

"Everybody helps out to make sure we maximize the project. We know all of us will benefit," he said in Filipino.

Mentoring


Since the project's launch in March 2021, participants of Backyard Bukid project continue to undergo an agri-entrepreneurship training and mentorship program with the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) Philippines.

They learn about organic vegetable production, soil management, pest and disease management, and vermicomposting.Today, participants visit their plot of land twice a day, six times a week. For each visit, there is an assigned team leader; others are assigned to sow seeds, water the plants, apply organic fertilizer and remove weeds.

Once the vegetables are ready for harvest, each participant contributes to the selling process, with tasks that include gathering and consolidating orders, purchasing commodities, repackaging and delivering orders, and maintaining records.

Mentors from SEED are also at the site to guide participants and help ensure that the urban farm is thriving.

Participant Jessie Nanbat shares how grateful he is to be a part of the project.

"From the bottom of our hearts, we are grateful to SMC and sir Ramon Ang for giving us the chance to be part of the Backyard Bukid project. We hope the project continues to be a success," he said in Filipino.

Renn Inopia, one of SEED's mentors assigned to the Backyard Bukid project, shares his own experiences working on the project: "My most memorable interaction with the participants was their first harvest. They were filled with hope and joy and were excited to produce more. ‘Tanim pa tayo para mas marami mabenta natin' (Let's plant more to sell more) are words I would often hear from them. And every time they sell their produce to other employees, they proudly say ‘organic po yan mam/sir.'"

He adds: "Apart from growing food, Backyard Bukid has built a sense of community among participants. It has become a place for them to connect and work together for a common purpose. My hope is they sustain the program, grow from it, and inspire others to engage in sustainable farming."

Food insecurity and the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on every aspect of the global economy, including food security. The extended lockdowns disrupted food supply chains, altered produce prices, widened inequality and affected income and livelihoods. In many instances, food has become out of reach for many.

In the Philippines alone, some 62.1 percent of households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020 amid the ongoing pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

To help address this, the national government and various nongovernment organizations launched programs promoting edible landscapes in urban communities as an additional source of available, fresh, and nutritious food.