(In photo: Representatives from JGF, PUM Netherlands, and ALCAVEGA during an advise-on-location mission at a farm in Nueva Vizcaya). The partnership between JGF and PUM provided FEP farmer groups with practical knowledge on soil health and fertilizer management, enabling farmers to improve their productivity and lower their production costs.
MANILA, Philippines. 26 December 2024 – Crop pest infestation remains an issue among several Filipino farmers. Without proper knowledge of pest and fertilizer management, farmers suffer from reduced yields and higher production costs. Since 2023, fall armyworms (harabas) and black bugs have severely damaged crops in Luzon, resulting in yield losses of 50 to 70 percent. In August 2024, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that armyworms had infested 3,237 hectares of crops in Western Visayas, causing damages worth Php57 million. These challenges threaten farmers’ livelihoods and the country’s food security.
To address these issues, Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the social development arm of Jollibee Group, partnered with PUM Netherlands. This Dutch non-profit supports small businesses in developing countries, helping farmers enhance productivity, efficiency, and market competitiveness.
The partnership, initiated seven years ago through a meeting at the Dutch Ambassador’s residence, has introduced agri-innovation techniques and practical technologies to FEP farmers. These interventions help JGF develop solutions that address agricultural challenges.
“While access to market and financing have improved farmers’ income, sustaining their profit requires access to modern technologies and skills that boost yield and promote sustainable farming while reducing production costs,” said JGF President Gisela Tiongson.
Transformative Impact
From 2019 to 2024, JGF and PUM conducted four advise-on-location missions and four remote coaching sessions, benefiting over 500 FEP farmers. Through these initiatives, farmers learned how to use fertilizers efficiently for soil health regeneration and identify pests and diseases without over-relying on synthetic chemicals.
These environmentally friendly practices allow farmers to grow healthier, high-quality crops for institutional clients like Jollibee Group.
PUM experts visited farms of FEP farmer groups and local partners, including Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Sacred Heart Savings Cooperative (SHSC), Kalasag Multipurpose Cooperative, Onion and Vegetables Producers Cooperative (OVEPCO), Alfonso Castaneda Vegetable Growers Association, Inc. (ALCAVEGA), Lourdes Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and MAGSAMAKAME farmers’ cooperative.
With agricultural challenges prevalent in tropical countries like the Philippines, the JGF-PUM partnership empowers farmers through knowledge sharing, upskilling, and agri-innovation—aligning with Jollibee Group’s sustainability agenda.
(In photo: Onion expert Theo Buysse, Horticulture expert Johan Schoenmakers, and SHSC farmer cluster leader Rooy Cuizon at a farm in Ilocos Sur). Soil testing helps farmers identify which macro and micronutrients are lacking or sufficient, guiding appropriate fertilizer use.
(In photo: Representatives from JGF, PUM, and MAGSAMAKAME during a site visit in Cavite). By employing agri-technologies, farmers achieve higher yields, quality crops, and lower production costs.
