MPAV sets envisions on modernizing Philippine cultivation through MPFF or Metro Pacific Fresh Farms and is said to be the biggest vegetable greenhouse facility in the country that has the ability to produce high-quality vegetables all year round.
Located in San Rafael, Bulacan, this 22-hectare land will home a complex of modern greenhouses that will boost sustainable farming practices and modern farming technology. This follows the launch of MPDF or Metro Pacific Dairy Farms last December of 2022 and is fully owned by the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation in partnership Israeli-based company, LR Group.
The project broke ground on the 20th of February 2023 with the help of Innovative Agriculture (Agro) Industry Ltd. (“IAI”), an Affiliate of the Israeli-based partner, LR Group consisting of a full value chain including seedlings production, vegetable cultivation, sorting, packaging, and marketing.
“The vision behind these investments is an agriculturally independent Philippines,” says MPIC Chairman, President, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. “We want to help build a nation that’s capable of feeding all of its people.”
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to the Republic of the Philippines His Excellency Ilan Fluss says “I am proud that Israeli technologies and expertise are being introduced to the Philippines and contribute to the country’s food security and agricultural productivity. This is just the beginning of Israel and the Philippines’ agri-adventure on agriventures!”
Producing More with Less
Food insecurity continues to affect the country’s overall health. Just last 2022, the United Nations tallied 59 million Filipinos suffering from food insecurity—the highest recorded number in Southeast Asia. Improving accessibility to fresh and nutritious food has become more vital than ever. That is why MPAV continues to do its part to achieve food security and ultimately food independence, not only for the benefit of our economy but also our overall nation’s health.
“Growing our own produce is a step in developing our country’s capability in terms of food sustainability,” says MPAV President and CEO Jovy I. Hernandez. “Partnering with IAI and the LR Group, moves us towards a future where ideally, food security is the norm, not just an aspiration. This is part of MPAV’s Fresh Forward Movement. Fresh is always Best and Filipinos deserve nothing less than Fresh.”
The World Health Organization wrote, “Promoting a healthy food environment requires involvement across multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government, the public, and the private sector.” Having access to nutritious food is a basic human right. Through improved agricultural practices and resources, fresh and nutrient-filled produce will be more accessible rather than a luxury.
MPFF’s launch aims to boost food accessibility in the country.
Improved Vegetable produce will reach Filipino homes with better quality vegetables, which also aims to improve the overall health of consumers by increasing the nutritional value of meals through the help this vegetable produce. This will be done through Nutrient Film Technique Hydroponics (“NFT”) and the Drip Irrigation System; the new innovations in modern farming. A sustainable and efficient breakthrough, enhancing Philippine agriculture by increasing yield and reducing the use of valuable resources: Using less soil, water, and sunlight, these techniques will also make a full-year crop production that will be made possible as these methods can reduce crop cycle time.
“The project that aims to produce more with much less.” Equipped with a modern greenhouse and state-of-the-art farming technology, MPFF aims to reinvigorate the art of farming.
47 percent of which is already agricultural land, Our country has a land area of 30 million hectares. To this day, irrigation remains to be one of the issues facing the agricultural sector, as well as many other factors such as low output, high costs of inputs, lack of post-harvest facilities, and many more.
The agricultural industry accounts for 70 percent of freshwater’s global usage, while 50 percent of the Earth’s land surface is dedicated to agriculture, both significantly contributing to climate change. Operations under MPFF’s modern greenhouses will champion sustainability through the reduction of water and land usage alongside controlled farming conditions. These controlled conditions will shorten crop cycles and will make better-quality vegetables more accessible in the country.
With the NFT hydroponics and Drip Irrigation Systems, 90 percent of the water usage will be lessened, together with less use of 90 percent of land usage, and 90 to 99 percent fewer fertilizers and pesticides usage, ensuring year-round production, consistent quality, and predictable output. This climate-proof farming surely will turn the dream of year-round crop production into reality. MPFF also projects an estimate of producing 1.6M tons of vegetables through these modern farming methods.
MPFF also aims to open up a multitude of opportunities in the agricultural sector, especially for our local farmers. The project aims to push for training, advanced farming techniques, and employment opportunities for surrounding communities. It’s a fresh forward start for both food accessibility and agriculture as a whole.
“The greenhouse project here in Bulacan is only the first step in building a platform for a much larger advocacy. Metro Pacific Fresh Farms is but a part of a larger ecosystem that is set to fundamentally change how all Filipinos eat,” says MPAV CCO Toby Gatchalian. “We view this shift as a multi-sectoral movement that involves not just the private sector, but the public sector, as well as the academe so we could continue to innovate and discover novel solutions.”
This latest venture for MPAV provides a fresh perspective on what the Philippine agriculture could be; Modern, sustainable, and accessible! Fresh is Best. And the Filipino deserves nothing less than Fresh. #FreshForward
