Davao City, Philippines - Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) will present its Resilience and Inclusion for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA) project at the upcoming National Cacao Congress (NCC) 2022 in Lanang, Davao City. From November 24-25th, this event will welcome 1,800 participants from across the country, ranging from farmers, government, businesses, and other stakeholders in the cacao industry. The goal of the event is to share knowledge and foster connections among market actors to help create solutions to improve the Philippines’ cacao industry.
While the Mindanao region of the Philippines produces 80% of the country’s cacao, it has the highest poverty rate in the country. Limited investment and skills within the sector have led to lower productivity, particularly among farms, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and co-operatives led by women. In addition, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened poverty in Mindanao.
To help build a stronger, more resilient cacao sector, in partnership with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), MEDA’s five-year RIISA Project will provide more equitable investment and support to more than 25,000 people, including women and men cacao smallholder farmers (SHFs), cooperatives, enterprises, and investors. As a result, MEDA will increase the economic prosperity of women and men smallholder farmers in Mindanao.
MEDA’s Country Director, Catherine Sobrevega, affirms that MEDA’s participation is a great opportunity to connect and learn from diverse stakeholders in the Philippines cacao sector.
“This will give us a platform to introduce MEDA’s RIISA project, including why we are promoting and supporting G-ESG standards, which is a requirement for impact investment,” Catherine added.
The RIISA project will further help MEDA to achieve its ten-year goal of creating or sustaining decent jobs for 500,000 people. This project will also help fulfill the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
About MEDA:
MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) has been implementing effective market-driven programs globally since 1953. MEDA combines innovative financial and technical expertise to build and enhance sustainable agri-food systems that provide decent work for people living in poverty with a focus on systemically marginalized communities, including women and youth. Our core expertise lies in market systems, environmental sustainability and climate action, gender equality and social inclusion, inclusive financial services, and impact investment. MEDA partners with local private, public and civil society actors, strengthening individuals, institutions, communities and ecosystems, and thereby contributing to sustainable and inclusive systemic change.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Catherine Sobrevega
Country Director in Programs, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific
Philippines, MEDA
International CD/CPM
Reven Bryan dela Peña
Strategic Learning and Knowledge Management Specialist, MEDA
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