On 21-23 January 2026, the project leader of the Coffee Project, Dr. Joane V. Serrano, together with the co-project leader, Dr. Sherry B. Marasigan, was invited by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries to present the project titled “Enhancing the Sustainability, Profitability, and Inclusiveness of Coffee Value Chains Involving the IP Communities: The Case of Kiangan and Asipulo, Ifugao and Patikul, Sulu” at the Philippine Investment Forum on Coffee and Bamboo in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. This forum aimed to establish a roadmap for investment, policy, support, and infrastructure development to ensure the long-term viability of sustainable agroforestry systems.
The coffee project team was assigned to present on the second day of the forum with a focused lens on financing and credit access, which leads to the presentation of the financial landscape shaping the coffee value chain, highlighting the accessibility of credit and financial resources among key players, especially of indigenous farmers from Patikul, Sulu, and Kiangan, Ifugao. Drawing from the project activities done across both project sites, the presentation unpacked the real situation of the coffee communities. By situating the results within the lived experiences of IP communities involved in coffee production, this underscores how access to appropriate and inclusive services for finance continues to be a critical determinant of sustainability, profitability, and growth within the coffee industry.
This event was also attended by the key members of the National Sectoral Committees (NSCs) on Coffee and Fiber Crops, Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs), Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Region X, and various government agencies, which brought the opportunity to the project team to widen the network related to coffee. This project activity supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 1, SDG 8, SDG 11, SDG 16 and SDG 17.
Written by Mary Grace Campollo • Edited by Larry N. Cruz
