Cadiz’s urban rooftop rice farming takes center stage in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD, Philippines – Cadiz City is leading the way in Negros Occidental, showing people how they can become farmers even in urban areas.

While green spaces and green architecture aren’t new, Cadiz has taken the concept one step further by converting a 105-square meter rooftop of one of the over two dozen pavilions in Negros Occidental’s 25-hectare Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, into a rice paddy.

The Cadiz City government showcased the rooftop paddy during the province’s seven-day 28th Panaad sa Negros Festival, which culminated on Sunday, April 21.

Cadiz’s agriculture and engineering offices, which introduced the urban rice farming concept, created a buzz among Panaad revelers and tourists alike.

Architect Ginn Cabahug was behind the captivating green architectural design atop Cadiz’s themed pavilion, which attracted the attention of visitors, both young and old.

Enrique Escares III, city agriculturist of Cadiz, told Rappler on Monday, April 22, that they used the NSIC Rc27 variety of rice, a new variety that can thrive even on rooftops.

Although experimental in nature, Escares said the concept can be sustained through foliar (rice fertilizer) and other rice farming supplements.

The NSIC Rc27 variety matures early, making a palay (unmilled rice) harvest possible after 107 days of planting. Escares recommended this variety for farmers to try due to its drought-resistant nature, as suggested by experts from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

Nigerian visitors at Panaad, Adeshina Edward Oloje and Leonard Ekhasomhi Asekhame, charge d’ affaires and counsellor/consular officer of the Embassy of Nigeria in Manila, were among those amazed by Cadiz’s green rooftop design.

The Nigerians expressed admiration for this innovative farming approach, noting that it was their first time seeing such, and commended Cadiz for its forward-thinking and environmentally conscious initiative.

Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said the green architecture at Panaad was the main concept of the architectural plan for the pavillion constructed two years ago, emphasizing food security and insulation.

Escalante conveyed the message that “we can always be farmers even in urban centers.”

Cadiz was shortlisted as one of the 25 local governments in the national program for “Walang Gutom Awards” for its farming program.

Julie Grace Dominguez, tourism officer of Cadiz, said transforming the city’s themed pavilion roofing into a thriving rice paddy aimed to showcase Cadiz’s rich agricultural heritage.

Dominguez said their intention was not only to show Cadiz’s agricultural richness but also to draw attention to the bounty of its lesser-known upland barangays and beautiful landscape.

Moreover, the intriguing rooftop design aimed to underscore Cadiz’s focus on constructing farm-to-market roads in its upland barangays, enhancing accessibility and paving the way for more tourism development opportunities.

The rooftop rice farming concept was pioneered in Asia by Bangkok’s Thammasat University (TU) in Thailand. TU allocated a 7,000-square meter rooftop for mimicking rice terraces to reduce heat island effects and protect rice farms from flooding during the annual monsoon, as reported by www.agritecture.com.

Escalante said urban farming via green architecture, specifically rice farming, is now part of Cadiz’s newest tourism and investment campaign, dubbed “Cadiz City: The land of splendid opportunities.” – Rappler.com