Grow Asia integrates coconut, coffee, and corn smallholder farmers to big (Association of SouthEast Asian Nations) ASEAN players of value chain in agriculture.
Grow Asia, a production platform, presented farming models that link smallholders and big players of the value chain in agriculture.
The said platform has been co-founded by the ASEAN with the World Economic Forum.
With the help of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Grow Asia has supported in developing the organized and skilled farmers.
SEARCA has been tapped by ASEAN education ministers (SEAMEO) to lead. Research about the competency certification for agricultural workers in Southeast Asia. The said organization continues to supportTech-Voc Education and Training (TVET).
“ A common competency certification system among ASEAN countries will enable freer exchange of farm workers between countries,” SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio said.
“Grow Asia-Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Development has built synergies between different value chain players in agriculture,” Philstar report mentioned.
It provides a Mindanao-based program multiple interventions for farmers’ production of coconut water. Respectively, development of skills and know-how in coconut intercropping, replanting, and market access were also included in the interventions.
“Grow Asia-PSD facilitates the delivery of many interventions including agricultural and technical-vocational skills training in the production of coconut, coffee, corn, fisheries and vegetables,” report added.
Moreover, Unilever, Friends of Hope, and KFI Center for Community Development are involved in the said program.
For the sustainable development of coffee, Nestle benefits 10 cooperatives in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur. Smallholders were given technical assistance, intercropping know-how, provision of quality planting materials (Robusta coffee), and establishment of market.
Further, there are 15 more partners in the project including Philippine Coffee Alliance. Macnut Philippines is also included in contract growing and buy-back of Arabica coffee.
“Farmers in Zamboanga del Norte have been connected through ZMDC Grains Inc. to a hog farmers’ cooperative in Batangas (to buy corn). Partners include Pioneer and 8 other agencies including Philippine Maize Federation Inc,” report stated.
Source: Grow Asia benefits 117,000 coco,coffee, corn smallholders