The Philippines invests in climate protection for vegetable growers

The Philippines has earmarked around P300mn (US$5.12mn) this year to expand climate-resilient farming for high-value vegetables such as tomatoes, chili, and capsicums as the government moves to curb recurring price spikes triggered by weather-related supply disruptions. 

In a release announcing the programme, agriculture secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the funds would primarily support basic greenhouses, drip irrigation, and water-impounding systems. These crops, he noted, suffer sharp price swings almost every year as extreme heat, heavy rains, and flooding disrupt production. 

“This is a perennial problem – sometimes chili pepper is very expensive, sometimes there is no supply at all; the same goes for bell peppers and tomatoes,” Tiu Laurel said. “What we want is continuous production, year-round whether it’s dry or rainy.” 

The programme, referred to within the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the White Revolution, was modelled after Korean and Cambodian protected cultivation systems that have helped boost vegetable output and provide reliable local food systems in the regions.  

The strategy prioritises working with cooperatives and farmer associations rather than individual farmers. It will start by organising production at the community level where local seed and seedlings will be established to technically equip women and youth and make planting materials readily available. The department aims to generate stable volumes that can reliably supply major urban markets and dampen the boom-and-bust cycles that hurt both farmers and consumers. 

Instead of rolling out costly, high-tech facilities, the DA will deploy rain shelters and simpler greenhouse structures to provide partial protection from the elements and make it a viable business model. These facilities protect crops from heavy rainfall, reduce flood risks and pest damage, and enable more efficient water use through drip irrigation and misting systems, making them easier to replicate across farming communities. 

“The objective is to keep producing even during El Niño or La Niña,” Tiu Laurel said. “With irrigation during dry months and cover during heavy rains, farmers are able to adapt with the changing weather conditions and are effectively able to plan their production based on market demand.” 

Rain shelters, greenhouses and irrigation systems will be located near – though outside –major consumption centres such as Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao to shorten delivery time and cut post-harvest losses. For the Metro Manila market, the DA is eyeing nearby provinces including Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Rizal, and Quezon. 

To limit market risks during the initial rollout, the programme will begin in selected pilot municipalities, with Food Terminal (FTI) committing to buy the harvest at pre-agreed prices. The arrangement is meant to give farmers income security while the system is being established. 

“If we ask a community to plant chili or bell pepper, whatever they produce will be bought at a fair price,” Tiu Laurel said, adding that the government will handle distribution to public markets. 

The initiative also underscores how limited protected agriculture remains in the Philippines. The country has only about 500ha of greenhouse-covered farms nationwide, compared with roughly 52,000ha in Korea. Tiu Laurel said reaching 5,000ha by 2027 would already be a major step forward. 

Sustainability, he added, will ultimately hinge on profitability. “If this proves successful and farmers earn from it, they will push for its continuation and scale up the system – even under the next administration,” he said. 

The DA is also building a network of cold storages to extend the shelf life of highly perishable vegetables and provide small-scale vegetables processing facilities to reduce food loss and provide additional revenue stream for farmers in a sustainable manner.