PANGANTUCAN, Bukidnon — The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) showcased how the Rural Agro-enterprise
Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project raises farmers’
incomes, expands market access, and strengthens agro-enterprise development during a July 17
demonstration visit

Conducted alongside representatives of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of
Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the visit highlighted the project’s market-
driven value chain approach and Producer-Public-Private Partnership (4Ps) model, which

connect farmers, government agencies, and private enterprises to boost productivity and secure
stable markets.
Funded by IFAD and implemented by DTI, RAPID Growth strengthens cacao, coffee, coconut,
and processed fruits and nuts industries by backing farmers and micro, small, and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) across Mindanao and Eastern Visayas.
Bukidnon is among 21 provinces implementing the project, with local farmer organizations
already benefiting from improved production support and stronger market opportunities.
Project Manager Mysol Booc said the 4Ps model remains the core strategy for advancing
inclusive agricultural development.
“We are very happy because the heart of the RAPID Growth Project is the implementation of the
Private-Public-Producer Partnership Organization through the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD). This is why we are now implementing this initiative here in Pangantucan
and across 21 provinces in the country,” Booc said.
Featured beneficiary Bayanihan Millennium Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMMPC), a partner of
Nestlé Philippines, Inc., received all-weather dryers, depulpers, a portable moisture tester, a
weighing scale, a heavy-duty dehuller, chainsaws, and a mechanical hole digger to improve
coffee production and post-harvest operations.
The project will also fund a 1.2-kilometer farm-to-market road to improve access to production
areas and commercial centers.
Leonila C. Secadron, cooperative manager, said coffee farming gives members higher incomes
while lowering production costs and reducing dependence on chemical inputs.
“We chose to grow coffee because it costs less to produce than corn and other crops. It also
provides higher income while helping protect the environment by reducing the need for chemical
sprays,” she said.
Government officials and development partners used the demonstration visit to assess field
implementation and engage directly with farmer groups to strengthen sustainable rural
development.
DTI and IFAD officials confirmed that the 4Ps model provides a scalable framework for raising
farm incomes, expanding market linkages, and building resilient agricultural communities across
project areas nationwide. (Bernadith G. Epan/PIA-10/Bukidnon)