Go Negosyo, CDA sign deal to scale up small farmers

MANILA, Philippines — Entrepreneurship advocacy group Go Negosyo and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) signed an agreement that will soon give small farmers a better chance at scaling up.

The memorandum of understanding signed on Jan. 4 would link agriculture cooperatives with leading agriculture companies in the Philippines.

The identified and organized cooperatives would then be assisted by big brother companies in consolidating produce, meeting market requirements as well as accessing credit, inputs and training.

The deal also aims to improve collaboration between cooperatives and the private sector and promotes a value-chain approach through public-private partnerships.

Go Negosyo and CDA’s strategic partnership would support and implement the objectives of the Kapatid Angat Lahat Agri Program (KALAP) for the benefit of the cooperatives sector in the Philippines.

The principles of KALAP, formalized in 2023 through agreements with government agencies, became the basis for several agreements with the Business Advisory Council of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The agreement was signed by Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion and CDA chair Undersecretary Joseph Encabo.

“There are several different inclusive business models that our big brothers in KALAP have already implemented; the cooperatives can adapt the models suited to their crop and forge a relationship with the big-brother corporations, such as helping them get access to technologies and markets,” Concepcion said.

“The partnership with the CDA will help us identify the cooperatives who are willing to be part of KALAP,” he added.

Encabo said the agreement was timely as President Marcos has been spearheading efforts to strengthen cooperatives, calling on the cooperative movement to start the consolidation process for local farmers’ cooperatives associations.

“As we implement the merger consolidation focusing on agriculture cooperatives, the program can directly infuse to them and roll out as they make cooperatives’ resources bigger, expand their membership and add to their assets,” he added.