Farmers for Rural Enterprise, Environment, and Development, Philippines

Developers Foundation

Developers Foundation began in 1991, organizing small-scale farmer and fisher households in remote rural villages of Aklan region, southern Philippines, for food and livelihood security. Developers Foundation worked hand-in-hand with low-income rural families on sustainable integrated development, emphasizing their organization and increasing their productivity in agriculture, thereby helping to raise their food security, incomes, and assets, while also working collectively on ecologically-based methods of production.

This year, Church World Service is assisting Developers Foundation as they train 45 farming households--some 216 people--in Aklan. About half of the households are headed by women. The farmers are gaining new knowledge in hog and small livestock raising, crop diversification for commercial sale, waste management, and organic farming methods.

Purchase agreements with local markets for produce and livestock are being negotiated, and the farmers are learning how to keep records and manage group-based production plans involving loans, skills training, and technical support services. Developers Foundation has established its own locally-based rural enterprises--including cut-flower production and marketing, wholesale rice trading, and hog production--into which small producers can channel what they raise.

Support for Church World Service helps make this program possible.

Updated 6/20/06

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