This area produces around 80% of Cape Town's freshproduce[2], and generates around half a billion rand's worth of economic output per annum.

Rapid residential growth began in the late 1970s and early 1980s as apartheid policies which tried to prevent economic migrants from the former Ciskei and Transkei homelands in the Eastern Cape, who settled in nearby Nyanga, Langa, Gugulethu, Crossroads, Browns Farm and Samora Machel.

[5] At least half of Cape Town's vegetables are grown in the Philippi Horticultural Area, despite being surrounded by residential suburbs which include townships, informal settlements and century-old neighborhoods.

The ability to grow produce is greatly aided by the fact that the area sits on top of a large aquifer.

[7] Continuing urban development within the horticultural area has been controversial amid concerns that it will have a negative impact on food sustainability within Cape Town broadly.