Due to the relentless growth of population in our world, the agriculture sector is facing a

great challenge of feeding large number of people while sustaining the use of our
natural resources [ CITATION Kum14 \l 1033 ]. A study held in India by Sharma and Singhvi
(2017) showed that the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides may pollute the
underground water with nitrate and it is so much hazardous to humans, livestock, and
environment. A social enterprise in the Philippines, meanwhile, saw this issue and
therefore conducted practices in their business that would make the land and their crops
free from harmful chemicals. Down to Earth, as a social enterprise, is one of the
biodynamic farms in our country which is located in Dahilayan, Bukidnon.
Through visiting their website, I found out that Down to Earth is using an organic
farming for they grow their products sustainably. Their crops such as: growing flowers,
vegetables, and herbs are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides,
fungicides or herbicides. They as well raise hens, chickens, pigs, lamb and cows on
local grasses that are pesticide-free. The animals are raised outdoors and never given
antibiotics, steroids or growth hormones. The cows are bull-bred, native cross-breeds
and have never been castrated or dehorned. They have not been fed GMO corn or soy,
or animal by-products. Additionally, these products of them are being sold to
supermarkets and being cooked in their restaurant, the Down to Earth Farm Café,
where they offer fresh salads with edible flowers, burgers, falafels and more [ CITATION
Del19 \l 1033 ]. In this café, they are giving workshops twice a month that teach people
how to grow their own food.
Aside from that, Down to Earth had set up its own towers that can help urban dwellers
grow their own food in the comfort of their own homes. These towers, which can carry
50 plants each are, basically, vertical gardens designed and sold by Down to Earth,
which resulted them to be the top winner of 2019 BPI Sinag Awards, which is handed
out annually by BPI Foundation to the country’s best social enterprises [ CITATION Ane19 \l
1033 ]. They also even have a Flower Tower which they plan on placing in more parking
lots. Down to Earth also plans on partnering with more establishments so that more
tower gardens can go up and breathe new life into cities—as well as inspire a new
generation of urban-dwelling farmers [ CITATION Ane19 \l 1033 ].
Finally, Down to Earth are even partners with the Girl Scouts of the Philippines as well
as several orphanages and foundations, teaching the young children to grow their own
food. They also taught the students to collect seeds and complete the cycle, making
them completely self-sustainable [ CITATION Del19 \l 1033 ].

The cows in Down to Earth’s farm (source: Down to Earth’s website)

 Vertical Garden Food Tower (source: Down to Earth’s website)

References
Del Mundo, I. Q. (2019). Let’s get Down to Earth. Manila City: The Phililppine Star.

Down to Earth: Real Food, Real Farmers. (n.d.). Retrieved from Our Story:
http://www.downtoearth.ph/our-story/

Kumari, A., Kumar, R., & Rao, N. (2014). ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES
ON HUMAN. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 150-151.

Sharma, N., & Singhvi, R. (2017). Effects of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides on Human Health.
International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology, 675-679.

Tayago-Juego, A. (2019). Social enterprise seeks to inspire more Filipinos to grow own food. Makati City:
Philippine Daily Inquirer.