Century Pacific joins Adopt-a-Farm program

MANILA, Philippines — Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), the Po family-led listed food company, has joined the government’s Adopt-a-Farm program.

Through its non-profit affiliate RSPo Foundation Inc., CNPF signed an agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to participate in  Project Hope Adopt-a-Farm.

Through the program, DOLE partners with private companies to build agricultural farming villages, creating employment opportunities for seasonally displaced workers and their families.

Manufacturing companies can “adopt” a farm and transform it into productive agricultural land. In turn, harvested produce will be bought and used as raw materials by these companies to manufacture their own products, creating a sustainable ecosystem, according to the program.

Through CNPF’s Project Hope Adopt-a-Farm program, the initiative aims to address the lack of sustainable sources of livelihood among workers in the marine industry during the closed fishing season in Zamboanga, a manufacturing epicenter of marine products in Mindanao.

CNPF is the first company to enroll in DOLE’s program, adopting three  greenhouse farms that make use of indigenous materials for construction.

Through these greenhouses, the company is able to generate jobs during the off-fishing season for displaced workers and for their families who can continue farming for the rest of the year.

Kamille Corpuz, the program manager of RSPo Foundation Inc.,  said the initiative of DOLE enables displaced workers to have a sustainable source of income.

“We see this as a win-win-win situation. These workers have a sustainable source of income through the farm, their families sell their produce to a ready buyer – us, and we have convenient and reliable access to much needed raw materials for our sardines business,” Corpuz said.