Epson Philippines and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines have recently completed their joint initiative to grow food through sustainable agriculture-based livelihood in Tarlac.
Launched in 2023, the Food Shed Farming Enterprise Project built two food sheds located in Barangay San Jose de Urquico and Barangay Batang-Batang. The project has received support from the Tarlac City Agriculture Office and the Barangay Captain and Kagawad Head of Committee on Agriculture. 60 households participated in the program and were given access to over 70 kilos of fresh vegetables.
Aside from the food sheds project, 47 community members received training on cultivating leafy and fruiting vegetables, establishing effective financial management systems, and value chain upgrading or market linkage.
Epson employees also joined the initiative and participated through volunteerism, where they helped with the construction of food sheds and attended the WWF-Philippines’ Panda Talks sessions.
“We are proud of our work in empowering local communities in Tarlac City with the help of WWF- Philippines,” said Epson Philippines President and Director Masako Kusama. “These initiatives, which enable communities to become more self-sufficient in their food supply through agriculture-based livelihoods, align with our overall vision of sustainability—that anyone, whether they be a business or a community, can operate sustainably, enabling both present and future generations to live securely.”
Through this food shed project, the communities involved will be able to grow food for their consumption, ensuring they have constant access to food at affordable prices. Furthermore, it can be a source of additional income and livelihood for the community members.
This initiative also encourages intra-neighborhood access, which helps bring prices down and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation and food loss.
