Negros Occidental: The provincial government of Negros Occidental is taking significant steps to empower women farmers by providing capital to their associations for marketing agricultural products.

According to Philippines News Agency, data from the provincial government revealed that in February, two beneficiary associations received financial assistance worth PHP250,000 each under the Farmers Entrepreneurship Program (FEP), a crucial initiative within the province’s Gender and Development (GAD) Program.

“We turned over the financial grant to the beneficiaries to help them improve their capital and businesses,” stated OIC Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola. The AMIA Village Organic Farmers Association (AVOFA), situated in Barangay San Isidro, Pontevedra town, is executing a project named ‘Agri-Products Consolidation and Marketing Enterprise.’ AVOFA comprises 81 members, with women constituting 62 percent of the membership.

In Kabankalan City, the Tampalon Rainfed Upland Farmers Association is involved in palay (unhusked rice) buying and rice retailing. The association operates from Purok Bougainvilla, Barangay Tampalon, and has 393 members, 65 percent of whom are women.

The FEP, managed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), aims to empower Negrense farmers, particularly women, by enhancing their entrepreneurial skills, improving access to resources, and boosting their capacity to market agricultural products to increase profitability. “By offering financial assistance for marketing and business development, FEP helps farmers upscale their operations, build capacity, and foster better market linkages,” the OPA noted.