Forum tackles inclusive farm consolidation to boost rural incomes

PASIG CITY, Philippines—Consolidation is emerging as a key strategy to strengthen Philippine agriculture and empower smallholders.

This was the central message of the Food and Agribusiness Forum: Harnessing Economies of Scale: Consolidation Pathways for Philippine Food and Agribusiness, convened by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 30 January 2026 at the UA&P.

The forum convened 82 stakeholders from government, academe, agribusiness, cooperatives, farmers’ groups, and development organizations to explore practical models for integrating value chains, reducing farm fragmentation, and scaling inclusive agribusiness.

In her welcome remarks, SEARCA Center Director Dr. Mercedita Sombilla described fragmented farms as “scattered threads” that can become a strong, competitive fabric when woven together through consolidation.

She underscored the potential of consolidation to raise farmers’ incomes, enhance food security, and build resilient agricultural value chains.

Keynote speaker Dr. Bernardo Villegas, UA&P Co-Founder and Professor, cited agriculture’s 3.1 percent growth in 2025 as the “bright spot” of the economy, but warned that rural poverty remains high, with “70% of the 60% below the poverty line in rural areas in agriculture.”

He emphasized that rural equity must be central to agricultural transformation.

Across three panel sessions, speakers presented local and international evidence showing that competitiveness at scale is driven less by farm size and more by collective organization, good governance, partnerships, and technology adoption.

Government-led clustering programs, cooperative-based integrated agribusiness models, and corporate contract-growing arrangements were showcased as viable pathways for farmers to access markets, finance, technology, and processing.

Panelists from the Philippine Department of Agriculture, Philippine Coconut Authority, Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative, Nestlé Philippines, Jollibee Group Foundation, National Irrigation Administration, and private agribusiness firms shared concrete experiences on how inclusive, trust-based, and technology-enabled consolidation can improve productivity, reduce costs, and expand market opportunities for smallholders.

Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, SEARCA Program Head for Research and Thought Leadership, concluded that consolidation is a cornerstone of agricultural transformation, reiterating that collective action, strong governance, and strategic partnerships are critical to success.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Marie Annette Dacul, Executive Director of the Center for Food and Agribusiness at UA&P, called for sustained multi-stakeholder collaboration, emphasizing that “transforming Philippine food and agribusiness is a shared responsibility.”

She also paid tribute to the late Dr. Roland Dy, founder and former College of Food and Agribusiness-UA&P Executive Director, noting that meaningful progress is possible “when diverse voices come together with a shared purpose.”

The forum is part of an ongoing series on four strategic pillars of agricultural transformation in the Philippines: digitalization, consolidation, diversification, and industrialization.