In a bid to create better linkages between farmers and industry players, eight farmer-organizations and five major food companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during the 2023 Agrilink at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. This partnership aims to provide farmers and the food industry with a framework for carrying out partnerships and creating a direct farmer-buyer relationship.
The MOU initiative was made possible through the efforts of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) Agri-Aqua Business Hub and a partnership with AgriFood Hub, a social enterprise that deals with matching buyers’ requirements with local farmers.
Under the MOU, farmer groups and institutional buyers will work together to bolster the economic sustainability of smallholder farmers by addressing market access challenges across the value chain. This includes minimizing the need for middlemen, thus, significantly cutting the market price for buyers and maximizing the profits of farmers.
To ensure a sustainable partnership between farmers and the industry, AgriFood Hub has pledged its support to facilitate the market-matching initiative. Founded in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, AgriFood Hub has created a sustainable market ecosystem that matches thousands of buyers and farmers. Through their support, partner farmers and buyers can guarantee a quality negotiation that promotes and protects both parties' interests.
Adding another layer of support, DOST-PCAARRD has also expressed its intention to provide technical and scientific assistance to boost the initiative through its vast library of R&D knowledge. Through science and technology, it is within the Council’s objective to ensure that farmers' productivity will be enhanced to make sure that agriculture supply will always match market demands.
In line with this, Dr. Ernesto O. Brown, Director of DOST-PCAARRD’s Socio-Economics Research Division, expressed that the Council will make sure that each R&D output will be used to empower farmers and support businesses. He further states, that the Council is more than ready to provide technologies and assistance to the agriculture sector.
One of the signatories of the MOU was Mr. Ricardo D. Abelardo Jr., President of Kitchen City, one of the largest food concessionaires in the country. In his message, Mr. Abelardo seeks the success of the partnership. Dealing with hundreds of thousands of customers nationwide every day, Mr. Abelardo expressed the need for his organization to secure quality products. Through the MOU, he hopes that partnering with local farmers will ensure a steady supply of quality food products while also helping local economies.
Representing the farmer groups, Mr. Marlon S. De Dios, Chairman of the Kaagapay sa Pag Unlad ng Mamamayan Producer Cooperative, shares his excitement for the initiative. Sharing the difficulties of smallholder farmers in penetrating larger markets, he welcomes the partnership with optimism and hopes that it would result in a better livelihood for his fellow farmers. He also states his enthusiasm for the technical assistance of DOST-PCAARRD in improving their production.
Following is the full list of partner organizations:
Partner Sellers
- Association of Safe Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Los Baños
- Kaagapay sa Pag-Unlad ng Mamamayan Producer Cooperative
- Palay and Calamansi Farmers Agricultural Cooperative
- Paraiso Farm Village
- Alaminos Laguna Consumer Cooperative
- Farmers' Association of Barangay Malinao
- Barangay Bucal Vegetable Planters Association
- Majayjay Organic Farmers' Association
Partner Buyers
- Kitchen City
- Hilas Marketing Corporation
- Philfoodex, Inc.
- Global Food Solutions, Incorporated
- Planters Products Inc
LGU Partners
- Local Government of Majayjay
- Local Government of Los Baños
Organizers
- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development
- AgriFood Hub
- Philippine Chamber for Agriculture and Food, Inc.