Farmers benefit from ‘Yellow Corn’ project

MANILA – Hundreds of farmer families in Cagayan province have benefitted from the “Yellow Corn” Project, a 6-month inclusive business pilot project by Cargill Philippines and Save the Children Philippines.

Farmer Beneficiaries from the municipality of Baggao, together with officials from the municipal and Cagayan provincial governments, Department of Agriculture and partners, celebrate the success of the “Yellow Corn” project through a harvest festival in Cagayan province, organized by Cargill Philippines and Save the Children Philippines. 

The project was launched in October 2021 and it provided training on good agricultural practices, farming inputs, post-harvest support, and integration of farmers directly into the animal feed value chain. 

Francis Samilin, a farmer beneficiary partner, shared that the training they received through the Yellow Corn project improved their knowledge and skills in corn farming. 

“The quality of the produced corn is good. The volume of our harvest increased and our income increased. If this continues, this will help us improve our status in life and the welfare of our children, especially the younger ones, for their education,” Samilin said.

Monico Castro, Chief of Field Operations Division of Department of Agriculture in Region Field Unit 2, expressed gratitude to Cargill for helping the corn industry in the Cagayan Valley – dubbed as the Corn Capital of the Philippines – and transforming Philippine agriculture. 

“We are very thankful to Cargill for this initiative, because given that resources are scarce, we need convergence. We need collaboration so we can implement programs in accordance with the One DA Framework: Consolidation, Modernization, Industrialization, and Professionalization,” he said. 

The Yellow Corn Project is aligned to the One DA Framework and the National Corn Program. This inclusive business project with small-holder corn farmers is the official contribution of Cargill to the Task Force Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PKG), a multi-sectoral movement led by the private sector established to help eradicate hunger and malnutrition in the Philippines by 2030. 

Cargill Philippines and Save the Children Philippines are active members of the PKG Workstream 1 – Availability and Accessibility. This project has been recognized both by the DA and PKG for its contributions in improving the productivity and lives of small-holder farmers. Cargill Philippines hopes to replicate this program on a wider scale with more corn cooperatives in the Cagayan Valley region and even beyond. 

“Empowering local farmers is key to building resilience in farming communities, as well as addressing food security challenges. Building upon the success of the Yellow Corn Project, Cargill hopes to find more value-creating opportunities for smallholder farmers as we nourish the world safely and sustainably,” said Sonny Catacutan, President of Cargill Philippines and Managing Director of Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)