Nearly one out of every three hectares of Philippine farmland converted into buildings and other developments over the past two decades was supposed to be protected, raising fresh concerns that the country is losing valuable food-producing land faster than it can safeguard it, according to a new study led by University of the Philippines researchers.
Published in Land Use Policy, the study found that 3,228 hectares, or nearly 31 percent, of the 10,397 hectares of farmland converted into built-up areas between 2003 and 2019 were inside the Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD).
In simple terms, land that was legally meant to stay farmland is increasingly becoming subdivisions, factories, warehouses and commercial developments.
Using satellite images, the researchers found the biggest losses in Bulacan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija in Luzon, Cebu and Negros Occidental in the Visayas, and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao in Mindanao. Many of these areas are also among the country’s fastest-growing economic centers.
The study also found that much of the farmland converted in Luzon was located near major roads, showing how new highways and infrastructure often attract housing projects, businesses and industrial parks.
While economic growth creates jobs and investments, the researchers said it should not come at the expense of land needed to grow food. As more farmland disappears, the country could become more dependent on food imports and more vulnerable to supply shortages and higher food prices.
The researchers said the findings strengthen the case for passing the long-delayed National Land Use Act, which would establish clear rules on where cities, industries and farms should expand.
Their message is straightforward. Development is necessary, but without better planning, the Philippines risks paving over some of its best farmland, making it harder to feed a growing population in the years ahead.
