Supporting Farmers, Linking Cooperatives, and Fighting Hunger Farmers in the Philippines face constant challenges, with many forced to sell their crops at low prices to middlemen, limiting profits and the chance to reinvest in their livelihoods. Inspired by Brazilβs Food Procurement Program (PAA) under the Zero Hunger policy, the Philippine government is advancing efforts to empower local family farmers by securing stable, fair markets while addressing food insecurity through the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program. A central tool to achieve this is the Negotiated Procurement Community Participation (NPCP), a strategic procurement model that enables cooperatives to supply food directly to public entities, ensuring a remunerative and sustainable market for small-scale farmers. To promote this promising approach, the newly established Alliance of Cooperatives Against Hunger & Poverty (ACAHP), led by AgriCOOPh in collaboration with @CSA Agri-agence, with support from GIZ and in partnership with DSWD and CDA, is organizing four Regional NPCP Forums across Regions IX, X, XI, and CARAGA. These fora aim to strengthen food systems, engage cooperatives in government procurement, and create fair market access for small-scale farmers. Through NPCP, the approach not only stabilizes markets for farmers but also strengthens efforts to reduce hunger and poverty. The NPCP modality, however, needs to be better understood and embraced by cooperatives, while the critical role of cooperatives and ACAHP in scaling up NPCP to address farmer marginalization needs further recognition and support from government agencies and LGUs. Each forum seeks to build a partnership mechanism that will implement NPCP in pilot areas by 2025, strengthening collaboration between procurement entities, cooperatives, and supporting organizations. The first regional forum took place successfully on October 24-25, 2024, in Davao City, gathering over 75 representatives from local cooperatives, LGUs, cooperative federations, NGOs, government agencies, and civil society organizations. Through collaborative workshops and discussions, participants explored ways to build robust partnerships and make NPCP a powerful tool for farmer empowerment and food security. Key achievements from the workshop included: Creation of a Regional Technical Working Group (TWG) represented by cooperatives from five provinces in Region XI. Selection of MAGROW MPC and MAGSIGUE MPC as TWG representatives for the region. Integration of the TWG into EPAHPβs Regional Coordinating Office through a signed MOU. ACAHPβs commitment to contribute to the drafting of Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for RA 12009, the new procurement law anticipated to be approved by the GPPB by January 2025. This forum marks the beginning of a collective journey to scale up NPCP across Mindanao by 2025, paving the way for sustainable market opportunities for farmers while ensuring that locally grown food reaches communities in need. Our mission is to build an equitable food system that recognizes, supports, and fairly compensates family farmers. Letβs work together to empower farmers, uplift communities, and build a food-secure Philippines. Join us as we grow and support a thriving agricultural sector! The first federations to sign the ACAHP MoU include AgriCOOPh, @natcconetwork, @pakisama, @msp, @AFA, @PFCCO, #PhilDHRRA, @CSA Agri-agence, @ACDIVOCA, with more than 60 primary cooperatives from Mindanao expected to join soon.
