A total of 40 leaders and officials from local and international sugar industry visited emerging best practices of SIFI’s RSS and RAC Programs.
On May 7, 2024, representatives from different sugar industry federations, organizations, and cooperatives headed to the Responsible Sourcing from Smallholders (RSS) Program Site at Barangay Jonob-jonob, Escalante City. The area covers two partner ARBOs namely Hacienda Bongco Agrarian Reform Cooperative (HABARC) and Don Esteban Agrarian Reform Cooperative (DEARCO).
IN PHOTOS:
LEFT – Rafael Vaya of ASR Group and Thirach Rungruang of Bonsucro.
RIGHT – Lito Omay, HABARC Chairman, and Danny Serioz, Sr., Chairman of DEARCO
An orientation regarding the RSS Program’s support and technical assistance to HABARC and DEARCO was conducted to the participants, sharing the initiatives on child labor prevention, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), trash farming practices, and increased farm productivity with better soil management. Since then, the RSS Program has catered to 4,300 farmers from 102 ARBOs covering almost 3,300 hectares.
IN PHOTOS: Representatives from PANAYFED, PHILSURIN, Nestle, ASR, and SIFI.
That same afternoon, the participants visited the Regenerative Agriculture and Climate Mitigation (RAC) Program site in Cooper Reata Agri. Corp., located in Hacienda Tagud, Barangay Luna, Cadiz City.
IN PHOTOS:
LEFT – Patricia Ann Cooper, Farm Owner of Cooper Reata Agri. Corp.
RIGHT – Karen Thivya Lourdes of Nestle Global and Rafael Vaya of ASR.
The RAC Program has been well received by the planters at the early stage. Since 2022, an increase in the adoption of regenerative agriculture was applied by selected medium to large planters in the milling districts of the Hawaiian-Philippine Company, Victorias Milling Company, and Lopez Sugar Corporation. The RAC Program continues to promote green manuring, minimum tillage and good farming protocols in the sugarcane community.
The field orientation was a pre-forum activity for the Shaping the Sustainable Future of Sugarcane Production in the Philippines Forum.
