Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso announced that the city government is working with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to explore the adoption of Singapore’s urban farming technologies as part of the city government's efforts to strengthen food sufficiency in Manila

Domagoso made the statement during BPI's 96th anniversary celebration on Feb. 11, saying that the partnership aims to localize food production in a highly urbanized setting, drawing lessons from Singapore’s experience as a dense city-state that has invested heavily in technology-driven agriculture.

“I opted to choose Singapore because geographically, physically, Singapore is just small but highly urbanized and fully developed. If they can produce their own, then we also can produce our own," he said.

Domagoso and the BPI had earlier made technical visits to Singapore's Institute of Technical Education College East Horticulture Technology Hub, Republic Polytechnic, and National University of Singapore (NUS) on Jan. 15 as part of the city's assessment of how smart agriculture systems could be adapted locally, particularly for food production within limited urban space. 

The delegation first visited the Institute of Technical Education College East Horticulture Technology Hub, which is well-known for its fully automated indoor farming facility that trains students in smart agriculture and aquaculture, using technologies such as IoT-enabled systems, data analytics, and resource-efficient growing methods to improve crop yield and quality.

They then went to Singapore's Republic Polytechnic, wherein the delegation was taught how to combine advanced agriculture and urban farming into its vocational and technical programs.

With the knowledge and technology obtained by the officials during the trip, Domagoso said the city government is now moving toward integrating national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and the private sector to pilot urban food production initiatives.

“Your city government is now trying to put together national government bureaus and local government and the private sector to build something for food production,” Domagoso said, adding that the effort is intended to create a framework that future city leaders can build on.

Threat to national security

The local chief executive stressed that food security is a strategic concern for the nation, warning that population growth and shrinking agricultural land make urban food production increasingly important for cities like Manila.

“Food insecurity is a threat to national security. Population continues to grow, space continues to shrink, and the land that future generations can use to produce food is getting smaller," Domagoso said.

Amid this, he stressed that BPI’s role, together with scientists and specialists under the Department of Agriculture (DA), would be critical in developing practical and science-based solutions for urban agriculture, particularly in maximizing limited space for food production.

He added that the initiative complements Manila’s broader role as a distribution hub for agricultural products, recalling how the city kept food moving during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic by allowing farmers and traders from Luzon to sell produce in Manila despite lockdowns elsewhere.

“This is just the beginning of the long journey of your city government and BPI together so that those who come after us will already have a guide on how to ensure food security within the City of Manila," Domagoso noted.