The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through its social development arm, BPI Foundation (BPIF), has partnered with the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) to empower local farmers in San Carlos, Negros Occidental.
To kick off the partnership, BPI and DA-PhilRice turned over a farm truck and compact rice mill to RiceBIS Farmers beneficiaries as part of the Enhancing Market Potential, Opportunities, Welfare, and Economic Resilience (EMPOWER) project. This project marks BPI Foundation’s first initiative in supporting rice farmers and seeks to bolster the competitiveness and economic well-being of rice farmers in Negros Occidental.
According to a press release, the EMPOWER project aims to strengthen local rice production, ensure food security, and address malnutrition in the Visayas region. The initiative also supports farmers in adopting sustainable practices, boosting productivity, and expanding income opportunities by introducing climate-resilient technologies and hosting capacity-building workshops.
San Carlos has the biggest land area among the 18 barangays with 45,150 hectares of land. Most residents rely on agriculture as their main source of income. The truck and rice mill will service more than 320 farmers.
“PhilRice is happy and proud to be part of this initiative that empowers rice farming communities toward prosperity,” said Dr. Karen Eloisa Barroga, DA-PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for Development. “Through the project, we see the importance of public-private sectors being united in vision and efforts. The truck, rice mill, and working capital provided by the BPI Foundation are blessings so be good stewards of these resources, multiply them, and share them.”*
