Urban Agriculture in Naga City

“Growing Food, Growing Partnerships,

Growing Naga”

Wednesday June 6th, 2007

PLAN 548H: Naga City Planning Studio Course Final Presentation

Kathryn Hill Kaitlin Kazmierowski Dee Dee Quinnelly

“Food like no other commodity, allows for a political reawakening, as it touches our lives in so many ways…from the

intimacy of breastfeeding to discussions at the

World Trade Organization”-Welsh and MacRae, 1998

Presentation OutlineThe Naga Context

Project Goal

Benefits of Urban Agriculture

Program Components

Recommendations

Conclusions

The Naga Context• Agricultural activity is concentrated in 11 of

27 barangays

• 65.78% of Naga’s total land area is devoted to agriculture

• In 1999 alone, 1660 ha were converted from agricultural uses

• Rice, sugarcane, coconut and corn are the main crops produced

• Current UA ordinances are prohibitive

• Production pressures are changing the face of agriculture

The Naga Context

The Project Goal...

To develop and promote UA in Naga City as a viable livelihood option to enhance agricultural productivity and conserve

lands critical for sustainable food security

Why Urban Agriculture? The Benefits of a Holistic Approach

• Food Security

• Income Generation

• Environmental Sustainability

• Community Links

• Growth Management

• Empowerment

Program Components

Research and Development

Education, Training and Extension

Marketing and Finance

Land Use Planning &Management

Research and DevelopmentResearch and development feeds

agricultural sustainability

• Baseline data

• Technology development

Research and Development: Key Findings in Naga

Opportunities

• Technology development focus

• Socio-economic & environmental assessments

Constraints

• Geographically-restricted data

• Lack of databases & GIS implementation

• Minimal farmer participation

Research and Development: Recommendations

• Comprehensive community assessments

• Create databases and incorporate GIS

• Collaborate with research institutions

• Adopt participatory technology development

• Focus on “urban-specific” technologies

Education, Training and Extension

Education in the foundation upon which collaboration and action flourish

Farmer: Sustainable Agriculture, Political know-how

Public: Holism, Schools, Universities and Popular Education

Planner: UA Benefits, Facilitation

Politician: UA Benefits, Enabling Mechanisms

Education, Training and Extension: Key Findings in Naga

Opportunities

• CAgO’s Current Programs

• Extensive local knowledge

• Some UA present (local skill)

• Political will (UA support)

Constraints

• Stigmatization and low self-confidence of farmers

• Accessibility issues

• Lack of multi-stakeholder collaboration

• Lack of comprehensive data to inform enabling policies

Education, Training and Extension: Recommendations

• Database Creation: a Multi-Stakeholder Approach• Bottom-Up Education: Keep Local Needs in Mind • Make UA a Public Affair: Community Links, Food

Festivals, Wellness Fairs• Link Education and Marketing: “Natural Naga”, “Bicol’s

Bounty”

Marketing and Finance• Fosters Entrepreneurship

Strategies

• Credit provision

• Investment in technology

• Savings schemes

• Tax incentives

Marketing and Finance: Key Findings in Naga

Opportunities

• Strong political representation of producers and vendors

• Well established infrastructure

Constraints

• Poor transport services

• Mistrust of cooperatives

• Limited marketing assistance

• Lack of alternative livelihood strategies

• Uneven geographical coverage

Marketing and Finance: Recommendations

• Improve business management assistance

• Create and promote cooperatives • Provide appropriate financing schemes • Promote alternative livelihood strategies • Improve dispersion of financial and

marketing strategies

Land Use Planning and Management

Planning Supports UA

• Strategic Land Use Plans

• Standards for Development

• Regulatory Frameworks

Land Use Planning and Management: Key Findings in Naga

Opportunities

• Proactively direct growth and development

• Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2000 update

• GIS Technology

Constraints

• Land availability, accessibility and usability

• Lack of agricultural land designation in the city proper

• Lack of incentives for UA designation of idle lands

Land Use Planning and Management: Recommendations

• Assess city proper lands for UA suitability (CP lead)

• Designate and integrate UA into Land Use Plan 2007

• Develop or revise municipal by-laws & legislation

The Policy Continuum

UA Plan to inform policy

decisions

Policy translates to action

Research, Education and Advocacy supports UA

Recommendations

Institutionalization of UA

Marketing Strategies

Education

Research & Development

Land Use & Management

Income generation

EnvironmentalSustainability

HealthBenefits

FoodSecurity

Empowerment

Turning Recommendations into Action: “The Naga Farming School”

• Education centre with attached communal garden plot demonstrating sustainable agriculture

• City earmarks public lands to support UA project initiative

• Grounded in local needs, making use of local assets and opportunities

• Showcase of Naga’s commitment to UA and sustainability

Conclusion We feel that Naga is on the cusp of achieving a sustainable UA system;

all that remains is putting the

wheels in motion in order to enable it to

grow.

Thank you to all who helped along the way…