IDEALS, Inc., Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services, Inc., is a legal-focused advocacy and service NGO organized to address the legal and technical needs of the marginalized and vulnerable groups, particularly: banana farmerswho agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), victims of human rights violations, and persons <(>&<)> communities affected by natural and manmade disasters. IDEALS engages in policy advocacy and influencing work, case build-up and documentation for victims of human rights violations, and conducts legal missions to help identified marginalized and vulnerable groups establish their legal identity and/or update their records. Specifically for the work with banana farmers, IDEALS sits as part of the technicalworking group on the bill which aims to regulate the contracts and relations between the farmers and the PS. IDEALS also engages the general public for awareness-raising about the struggles of farmers locked into unfair contracts and influencing PS towards responsible and inclusive business practices and operations.

Project Title: Project GROW (Guidance for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries on Organic Farming and Sustainable Ways of Working)

The project aims to develop the capacities of farmers in Davao de Oro, specifically elderly Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB) members of the Nueva Visayas Agrarian Reform Cooperative (NUVIARCO), to effectively set up and sustain an organic farm that will be profitable and safe for aging ARBs with health concerns due to their advanced age. Conventional methods of mono-crop farming deplete nutrients in the soil and expose workers to harsh chemicals. In meetings and needs assessments, NUVIARCO farmers expressed their need for technical support to strengthen their capacity to improve their farm productivity and efficiency. The farmers’ cooperative also presented community maps that demonstrated their plan to convert their consolidated farm into an organic farm, which they need funding to start. GROW was conceptualized to help these farmers, many of whom are aging ARBs, develop the necessary business and technical skills to run viable organic farms. Land owned by the theNUVIARCO farmers was once leased by multinational exporterMarsman. The farmers were hired as workers until the exporter pulled out in 2017 leaving the farmers with few resources. Because they were employees, they were not included in management discussions. Member farmers (some of whom are already venturing into organic farming) lack the skills and competencies to manage their farms despite their knowledge on the practical application of farming. This can make them susceptible to disadvantageous contracts and business transactions. This project serves as the practical application of a 2019 feasibility study by IDEALS, DonBosco Foundation, Interfacing Development Interventions for sustainability (IDIS), Inc., Foundation for Agrarian ReformCooperatives in Mindanao Inc. (FARMCOOP), and NUVIARCO. The study found that in order to develop the 132-hectare organic multi-crop farm within five years, PHP 235.4 million is required for overall costs––including the capital. Project GROW will help walk these farmers through the process of starting an organic farm, focusing on hands-on and practical application of skills through active learning in a training farm that will simulate having their own organic farm. Itis innovative in its attempt to help long-time conventional farmers transition to a profitable organic farming model––a safer, and more environmentally-friendly form of farming and sustainable business model––which is far different from the dominant type of farming in Davao de Oro’s factory-like banana plantations. It will also help improve economic gains for farmers by reducing agricultural waste and farm input expenses. To accomplish this, IDEALS andNUVIARCO seek to help ARBs acquire essential knowledge, skills, and techniques to help them transition from farm-worker mentality to businesspeople who can sustain their cooperative and practice sustainable farming and environmental management. An organic, environment-friendly training farm managed by FARMCOOP will be critical in ensuring that ARBs gain hands-on and practical skills and experience. In the long-term the training farm can be developed into an eco-tourism hub, offering paid workshops that will promote organic farming and generate additional income for the ARBs.