THE International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) of the United Nations has pledged $55 million for two projects aimed at alleviating poverty in Philippine-rural areas starting in 2016.
This was announced by Benoit Thierry, Ifad country program manager, during the Ninth Knowledge and Learning Market and Policy Engagement (KLM-PE) held on November 25 and 26, at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management in Quezon City.
“On behalf of the president of Ifad, I am very proud of this renewed commitment in the Philippines, and participation in government efforts to alleviate poverty in the agriculture and fishery sector,” Thierry said. The funding will support the Convergence of Value-Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment (Converge) project and Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Livelihood (FishCORAL) project. For the Converge project, Ifad will allot $25 million for the next six years starting in 2016.
The project, which aims to reduce poverty incidence in 10 of the country’s poorest provinces, will benefit over 300,000 agrarian reform farmer-beneficiaries (ARBs) in 11 Agrarian Reform Communities in 10 provinces in Regions 9, 11 and Caraga.
Thierry noted that the objective of Converge is to enable ARBs and other small farm holders to become highly productive and competitive entrepreneurs.
In partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform, Converge shall provide financing for farm inputs, tools, packaging and capacity building, thus, increasing the quantity and improving the quality of commodity production. In addition, the project will also link small farm holders with the market.
“By linking farmers to the market, Converge shall effectively transform small farm holders into active contributors to the achievement of broad-based rural economic growth,” Thierry said.
As for the FishCORAL project, Ifad has committed $30 million for financing income-generating projects; rehabilitation of coastal resources, such as coral reefs, mangroves and sea grasses; and provision of support infrastructure, such as guard houses and fish sanctuaries.
The FishCORAL project aims to protect the country’s vital coastal resources by providing livelihood and coastal resource management capabilities to over 700,000 inhabitants of 11 bays and gulfs in the country.
In partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture, the project covers 14 provinces in Regions 5, 8, 13 and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.