For a country with such an intense appreciation (and appetite!) for food, it seems like the Philippines has not given enough priority to the people who grow it.
Clearly, the plight of Filipino farmers needs to be addressed.
Dire outlook for agricultural sector
According to 2021 data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), farmers and fisherfolk remain the poorest among the population. Belonging to the bottom 50% earners in the country, many farmers number among the nearly 20 million Filipinos living in extreme poverty.
And they are dwindling.
A separate report shows that the average age of Filipino farmers is now 57, up from 44 in 1971. Pretty soon, they will age out of the occupation with no one to take their place, not even their children. Rice farmers discourage their kids from pursuing farming as a career, holding the opinion that rice farming is physically tiring and not economically rewarding.
It is not surprising then that the Philippines had the highest number of moderately or severely food-insecure in Southeast Asia, with nearly 51 million Filipinos faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2020 to 2022.
To counter these dire outlooks, the farming sector needs to be fully supported and empowered, equipped with knowledge and resources to survive and thrive amidst the challenges it continues to face.
Respect-driven initiatives for Filipino farmers
Lingap LEADS Foundation, Inc., the social development arm of the Leads Group of Companies, serves as the country’s premier advocate for the occupational health and safety for farmers. It seeks to rekindle the recognition of the crucial role that farmers play and to invest in their overall well-being.
The ten-person Lingap LEADS team led by Executive Director Dr. Angelique Malveda seeks to redefine Filipino farmers are visionary leaders. It shifted its initiatives from being based on charity and dole-outs to being rooted in respect, through initiatives that empower farmers and provide them with sustainable support.
To address the multi-faceted needs of farmers, Lingap LEADS focuses its efforts towards the following:
- Lingap-Kasaka: Programs that promote the livelihood, health and welfare of farmers
- Lingap Kapatid: Programs that assist people in need through collaborations with other foundations
- Lingap Kapamilya: Programs in conjunction with the workforce and affiliated entities of its parent company
Stepping into farmers’ shoes
The hardships of rice planting are immortalized in the folk song “Magtanim ay ‘di Biro,” citing how farmers spend the day doing back-breaking work with almost no rest.
During its recent launch event for Harvesting Reverence, the foundation facilitated a unique and memorable way for my fellow bloggers and myself to truly appreciate the travails of local farmers: a hands-on rice planting experience!
Yep, I rolled up my sleeves, got down to the field and planted rice stalks on the muddy ground. Definitely, my ten minutes of stomping in the mud – equipped with my salakot and protective gear – are nothing compared to the long and exhausting hours that farmers expend in growing food.
It was quite a humbling and eye-opening experience and it brought to mind the need to support and uplift Filipino farmers.
Paving the way towards sustainability
Lingap LEADS also introduced its programs geared towards supporting four priorityamong the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) espoused by the United Nations (UN):
- SDG#3 Good Health and Well-being (Lingap Kalusugan). Programs on health education, health care and health financing to promote farm occupational health and safety such as Lingap Lakbay Kalusugan that delivers free diagnostic test packages to underserved communities.
- SDG#4 Quality Education (Lingap Kinabukasan). Programs that fuel the pursuit of knowledge that leads to a brighter future such as the Angat Pinoy Scholarship Program that helps farmers’ children and other students to continue their education.
- SDG#8 Decent Work and Economic Growth (Lingap Kabuhayan). Programs that empower farmers through sustainable livelihood opportunities through respect-driven initiatives that uplift their economic well-being for long term prosperity. This includes Social EnterRICE which provides independent rice farmers with free access to Leads Agriventure’s premium Jackpot rice seeds, buys the harvest at above market price and funnels profits from sales of Jackpot rice into more programs that elevates the farmers.
- SDG#13 Climate Action (Lingap Kalikasan). Programs that promote the best environmental conservation practices in the Leads Group worksites and the communities it serves. These include Planet CPR‘s sustainable plastic waste management drive that upcycles plastic bottles.
We depend so much on Filipino farmers to keep our citizens fed while still ensuring that our natural resources are maintained and cultivated for future generations.
It’s about time that they receive – not just our support and appreciation- but also our respect in return, right?
Thank you to Lingap LEADS Foundation for inviting me to its launch event!
For more information on Lingap LEADS Foundation and how you can support its programs, follow it on Facebook, call +63 917 1546247 or email partnership@lingapleads.org.
