Sultan Kudarat coffee farmers get huge boost

Coffee farmers in Sultan Kudarat province now have a safety net against crop loss from natural disasters through a new partnership between Pioneer Insurance and Nestlé Philippines.

Pioneer announced in a statement that it will provide crop insurance to members of the Tinalon Farmers Association, United Highlander Farmers Producers Cooperative and the Rural Improvement Club-Kuden, offering a financial lifeline against climate-related risks.

The initiative is the latest component of Project Coffee+, part of Nestlé’s long-running Nescafé Plan, which aims to help smallholder coffee farmers increase their yields, incomes and quality of life. The insurance program was designed after Pioneer’s team met directly with farmers to understand their needs.

“This isn’t just about policies on paper,” said Geric Laude, Pioneer Insurance’s head of the Agriculture and Partnerships Department. “We met with the farmers, listened to their needs and made protection more accessible where it matters most: on the ground.”

Project Coffee+ is a multi-year effort that equips farmers with business skills and effective farming knowledge. This program led to substantial increases in harvests and earnings, prompting the launch of Project Coffee++, which focuses on mentoring a younger generation of coffee farmers in Mindanao, where 80 percent of the country’s coffee is grown.

The Philippines’ coffee output supplies only about 15 percent of its domestic demand, with the rest filled by imports. Providing crop insurance is seen as a key step in strengthening the local coffee subsector.

Pioneer Insurance, which has a long history of providing micro-agricultural insurance, formed its Agriculture Team in January to address protection gaps in the industry.

The company offers insurance for grains, high-value crops like coffee and mango, and livestock, protecting farmers from climate change-related risks.