FP Island-Agrabah expands mart access

Lopez-led microgrid operator FP Island Energy Corp. has partnered with agri-tech start-up Agrabah Ventures Inc. to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of farmers, fisherfolk, and people’s organizations in the remote, off-grid islands of Caramoan and Garchitorena towns in Camarines Sur.

The companies said in a Sunday statement that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to strengthen the agri-aquacultural value chain of FP Island-assisted groups by improving production capacity and quality, while providing better financing, market access, and linkages.

Under the initial project, FP Island will provide funding or in-kind support for capacity-building and technical assistance to local seaweed farmers.

“This partnership aligns with FP Island’s vision of powering progress in our communities. By combining our clean energy solutions with Agrabah’s agribusiness integration and market-linkage support, we’re helping local seaweed farmers gain fair market access and strengthen their livelihoods,” FP Island vice president Edgardo del Rosario said.

5-K farmers connected

Agrabah chief executive officer Joselito Ocol Jr. expressed optimism that the tie-up can connect more than 5,000 farmers and fisherfolk to buyers, ensuring fair profits for producers.

“This is a testament that partnerships can help communities because it takes a lot of effort, and no single entity can do it alone… By working together, we increase the chance of progress in the area,” he said.

The MoU also sets the framework for FP Island and Agrabah to identify people’s organizations and design capacity-building activities, including training, knowledge-sharing, and mentoring sessions. Agrabah will provide technical guidance on production and post-harvest practices, share market insights, and may act as a market off-taker or aggregator for FP Island-assisted products.

FP Island, a sister company of First Gen Corp., operates microgrids in the off-grid islands of Lahuy, Haponan, and Quinalasag. The firm said the MoU marks another step toward improving living conditions in islands that previously experienced long power interruptions or a total lack of electricity before FP Island began operations in 2021.

A microgrid is a limited network of electricity users with a local power source that can operate independently of the national grid.