The Philippines is blessed with a vast number of endemic and indigenous species. It is, in fact, identified as one of the 17 mega-diverse countries on Earth. To be included on that list, a country must have a rich marine ecosystem and at least 5,000 of the world's flora as endemic species....
Vanilla is a versatile component that may be found in everything ranging from food to personal care products such as perfume and shampoo. There are three vanilla species with economic importance: vanilla planifolia, vanilla tahitensis, and vanilla pompona. Among them, studies show that vanilla...
Weeds are often perceived as undesirable plants in the fields, lawns, or gardens, but there are non-invasive, edible weeds that are more than what meets the eye. Take, for instance, sapsapon ( Crassocephalum crepidioides ) or redflower ragleaf, an annual herb that is not always seen as a hindrance,...
The new year is just around the corner! This means that baskets of round fruits will soon be adorning the dining tables of Filipino homes. Aside from wearing clothes with polka dots on New Year’s eve, Filipinos believe that putting 12 (sometimes 13) round fruits on the table will bring their...
In a sea of farmers, there is one group that you might not expect to find: celebrities. Famous personalities have their own interests out of the spotlight, and farming, for some celebs, is one of them. The singer and actress Esperanza Perez Padilla, better known by her stage name Zsa Zsa...
Many folks find cultivating crops fulfilling because it gives them a continuous supply of fresh produce and makes them feel a sense of security. This explains why there has been an increase in the number of people gardening during the pandemic. Michael Triviño, an entrepreneur from Lucena City,...
Ylang-ylang ( Cananga odorata ), also referred to as the cananga tree, is a tropical tree native to the Philippines. It bears star-shaped, yellow blooms used to make essential oils and other products. A farm that grows this tree is EA Real Agrofarm, a 3.3-hectare natural farm in Real, San Luis,...
Many fishes and other marine species are farmed for human consumption. However, as the demand for seafood grows, aquaculture in Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, causes negative impacts on the environment, the communities that benefit from it, and the farmed aquatic animals...
In San Fernando, Pampanga, a longtime gardener grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in her residence. Read about her gardening journey here Among the crops that Medge de Vera, 56, grows is pomegranate ( Punica granatum ). When you see her garden, you’ll know that de Vera...
Medge de Vera, 56, is a homemaker from San Fernando, Pampanga who built a food forest in the comfort of her home. De Vera has always dreamed of having a food forest, so she built one for her family in 2008. Medge de Vera, 56, a full-time gardener, sitting under the trees planted in her food...
There are innumerable sources of information available to help budding farmers learn about various aspects of agriculture, both online and offline. They can learn from home via webinars, online courses, videos, blog posts, articles, and online community groups, to name a few options. ...
Among the OFWs who grow a prolific garden outside the Philippine soil is Lino Gutierrez Mandigma, 52, a domestic helper in Parma, Italy. Mandigma grew up on a farm in Mulanay, Quezon and has always viewed farming as a dream career. Lino Gutierrez Mandigma is a former elementary school...
