WV farmers forge market linkages through investment forum and B2B matching
Posted by: RAFIS DA6 | Posted at: July 2, 2025
To strengthen market linkages and empower farmer cooperatives and associations, the Department of Agriculture – Western Visayas (DA-WV) conducted an Investment Forum and Business-to-Business (B2B) Matching on July 2, 2025, at the Roxas Foundation Inc. in Roxas City, Capiz.
The event gathered 60 farmers representatives from 16 corn and livestock clusters across the region, along with major institutional buyers who are actively sourcing corn and livestock products.
Corn Clusters included:
- AGRACA Agrarian Reform Cooperative
- TQB Multi-Purpose Cooperative
- United Olalo Livelihood Association
- Smart Agro Association
- Binuntucan Farmers Association
- Barangay Sibariwan Small Water Irrigation System Association, Inc.
- Matinabus Corn Planters Association
- Batad Farmers and Fisherfolks Federation
- Batad Green Farmers Association
- Manhanip Farmers Association
- Patnongon Multi-Purpose Cooperative
- Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka sa Patnongon Agriculture Cooperative
Livestock Clusters present were:
- Capiz Small Coconut Farmers Marketing Cooperative
- Integrated Barangays of Numancia MPC (IBON MPC)
- Libacao Development Cooperative
- Pinili Development Cooperative
Organized under the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Program, the activity aimed to minimize if not eliminate marketing layers and directly connect Farmer Cooperatives and Association (FCAs) to institutional buyers, giving them greater control over their pricing, supply, assured market, and terms of trade.
Representatives from Soro-soro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC), Vitarich Corporation, and San Miguel Foods Inc. (B-Meg) were invited as institutional buyers. Each presented their company’s procurement processes and product requirements, encouraging farmers to align their production standards to meet market demands.
SIDC also highlighted opportunities in the swine industry, offering production advice and introducing participants to a sustainable, cluster-based model. This complements DA’s effort to revive and scale up local hog production, which has been recovering from the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
“This event bridges the gap between producers and markets,” said Clark N. Melendres of the Department of Agriculture – Western Visayas’ Agricultural Cooperative Enterprises Development Division and F2C2 Program. “By clustering our farmers and capacitating them to negotiate directly with companies, we ensure that more value goes to the producers rather than traders.”
DA-WV’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) and Regional Corn and Livestock Programs facilitated the forum, providing technical guidance on business readiness, supply consistency, volume consolidation, and documentation requirements.
Through this initiative, the DA envisions a more inclusive and resilient agricultural economy, where producers are not just growers, but empowered players in the value chain. Participating FCAs were encouraged to work on necessary permits such as BIR registration, business permits, and certifications which are required by institutional buyers.
As the region continues to scale up its corn and livestock productivity, DA-WV underscores the importance of building long-term, trust-based relationships between farmer groups and private sector stakeholders. With more investment forums and market-related activities planned in the provinces, the department aims to replicate the success of this Roxas City forum across Western Visayas.###
Text and Photos by Aileen Joy Subade/DA-RAFIS 6
