Farmers in Polomolok, South Cotabato got more than accolades during Farm Worker Appreciation Day on 6 August.
BPI Foundation, Mahintana Foundation Inc. and the local government unit jointly launched the Polomolok Food Terminal (PFT) in Barangay Pagalungan. The market will serve as a show window and marketplace for local produce.
BPIF funded the construction of the terminal as part of its Farm-to-Table program intended to empower farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector.
PFT is one of the projects under the Market-Oriented Vegetable Production and Enterprise (MOVE) Project, which aims to improve agricultural productivity, ensure food security and boost farmers’ incomes by addressing post-harvest-losses.
Farmer beneficiaries of the MOVE Project also received equipment such vegetable and fruit dehydrators to prolong shelf-life of produce and pulverizing and grinding machines for fine graining of rice and corns. The terminal and equipment hope to encourage farmers to produce more crops and make them more efficient.
The equipment comes with training in food processing and manufacturing as well as financial management skills for their sustainable growth and economic stability of their communities.
BPIF’s other Farm-To-Table project are the Enhancing Market Potential, Opportunities, Welfare, and Economic Resilience (EMPOWER) which has benefited 320 farmers of San Carlos, Negros Occidental; Agricultural Services to Elevate Farmers towards Sustainable Food Security and Livelihood (AgrElevate) in Leyte; and Forming Alliances for Resilient Marketing and Enterprise Development (FARMEr) in Davao del Norte.