Epson acknowledges the challenges in helping Filipino communities with food, and it has partnered with WWF Philippines for an initiative that aims to help improve the resilience of food systems and rebuild the livelihoods of local communities.

For its partnership with WWF Philippines, Epson built a food shed farming system in Taguig City, which acts as a modular greenhouse that’s made of locally available materials. The food shed makes use of natural farming technologies such as composting, rainwater harvesting, and natural pest and disease control to make it sustainable for agricultural use.

“It is an agriculture-based livelihood intervention that promotes sustainable production, integrates the elements of low-impact urban agriculture technologies, and provides communities with food security while operating within planetary boundaries and protecting habitats and biodiversity,” WWF Philippines project manager Monci Hinay said.

To further expand its project of building sustainable farming systems, Epson and WWF Philippines built two food sheds in Tarlac: one in San Jose de Urquico and the other in Sapang Tagalog. 

With these two locations, Epson and WWF Philippines aim to train community members in food production, value chain, and business development; improve access to high-quality and locally produced food for households; and improve the resilience of low-income communities to stresses brought by the pandemic and climate change.

“We believe this climate-adaptive food shed farming technology is key to building resilience among communities who do not have direct access to food sources like farmland or municipal fishing grounds and can ultimately protect them against hunger and disruptions in food supply,” Epson Philippines President Masako Kusama said.