In photos are farmer and fisherholk participants and MFI staff members from Bangko Kabayan (left) and Rangtay sa Pagrang-ay Microfinance, Inc. (right) together with the MCPI GIF Team.
The Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. (MCPI) recently launched the training workshop on Sustainable, Integrated, and Climate Adaptive Practices (SICAP) on Agriculture-based Enterprises under MCPI’s Green Inclusive Finance (GIF) initiative. SICAP is part of the capacity building activities designed to create greater awareness on climate change and its effects on the agriculture sector. It also aims to help farmers and fisherfolk increase their resilience through the adoption of sustainable and climate-adaptive practices and technologies, and to scale up their enterprises through improved enterprise management skills.
The training workshops were held between February and March 2023 in Candelaria, Quezon for selected farmer clients of Bangko Kabayan (BK), and in Baguio City for the clients of Rangtay sa Pagrang-ay Microfinance, Inc. (RPMI). Close to 50 participants, including BK and RPMI staff members, completed the training workshop. The clients who participated in the workshop are engaged in vegetable and rice farming, livestock raising, and fisheries.
As part of SICAP’s continuing activities, one-on-one coaching and mentoring will be provided to the nine farmers who expressed willingness to allocate portion of their farms as demonstration farms that will showcase sustainable practices and/or climate-smart technologies.
The GIF initiative is a partnership of MCPI, Appui au Développement Autonome and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development of Luxembourg. The initiative builds the capacities of MCPI members to achieve environmental sustainability in their operations, products, and services. BK, RPMI, and K-Coop/KDCI are partner microfinance institutions of the GIF initiative.