FARMERS and rural enterprises in Eastern Visayas and Mindanao are experiencing a transformative economic boost, recording a 41.5% increase in average annual household income under the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Rural Agro-enterprise Partnership for Agricultural Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project.
The initiative has successfully reached more than 228,439 individuals since its launch in 2019.
Designed to bridge the gap between smallholder farmers and commercial markets, the project fosters strategic partnerships among producers, government entities, and private enterprises.
Key interventions feature specialized financial services for coconut farmers, direct capital injections for agricultural cooperatives, and critical rural infrastructure projects.
In Cotabato Province, cooperatives like the Makilala Multipurpose Cooperative (MakMPC) and Sta. Catalina Multipurpose Cooperative (SCMPC) have rolled out tailored financial products through the Agricultural Value Chain Finance Program.
These efforts expand capital availability and operational support for local coconut growers.
Concurrently, organizations in Davao de Oro and Davao del Sur—such as the Laak Multipurpose Cooperative (LaMPCO) and Solidarity Farmers Association (SoFA)—are embedding gender equality, social inclusion, and environmental safeguards into their operations, using grant-supported investments to build climate-resilient businesses.
Physical connectivity remains a cornerstone of the initiative.
On Sept. 30, 2026, DTI Assistant Secretary Atty. Michel Kristian Ablan inaugurated a 1.32-kilometer farm-to-market road in Matalam, Cotabato.
The infrastructure directly benefits 1,060 households by significantly lowering transport barriers for local agricultural produce.
These milestones underwent rigorous evaluation during an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) mission from Oct. 12 to 23, 2026. Led by IFAD Country Director Candra Samekto, the delegation inspected project sites across Regions 11 and 12 to assess long-term socio-economic impacts.
As the initiative approaches its official conclusion, the DTI is accelerating high-impact investments and expanding commercial partnerships.
To ensure the permanence of these gains, the DTI and IFAD are actively discussing potential timeline extensions to finalize remaining interventions, cementing lasting financial stability for rural farming communities.