Feature: ANP Kicks off 24th Anniversary with ‘OURFood Agripreneurship’
Seven farmer groups yesterday displayed and sold their fresh produce at the parking space of the Negros Showroom to highlight and celebrate the 24th
anniversary of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) by re-launching its "OURFood" agripreneurship program for the general public
Huge markets all over the country are expectant of the Negrense fruits and
vegetables as shown in photo. OURFood Program is to organize farmer groups to
effectively capture market niches.* (Gil Severino photo)
This is a test market, says ANP President Jojie Locsin and one of its intention is to sound the alarum bells for all to heed as the country awaits the 2015 zero tariffication thus the need to put OURFood into operation.
OURFood stands for "Optimizing and Upscaling Roles in the Food Supply Chain" and is envisioned to support the Negrense agriculture industry, by organizing, synergizing and coordinating "From seed to market and all the value supply chain in betweens" referring all stakeholders of the food supply chain, Marivic Rio OURFood program coordinator explained.
This includes, she said, farmers, consolidators, processors, Local Government Units, locally based national government agencies, microlenders and the vast, infinite market all over the country, especially Cebu, which is expectant of what Negros can offer.
This newly launched program OURFood agripreneurship, Miss Locsin also explained, is timed with the 24th anniversary celebrated this June in keeping with ANP’s mission in responding to poverty condition of Negrense farmers by organizing a core group.
They are Philip Cruz of Herbanex, Pam Henares of Boro-Boro Farms, Mon Penalosa of Penalosa Farms, the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation, Inc. (NISARD), ANP, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and 16 farmer organizations from all parts of the Island.
Miss Locsin indicated that the people making up the core group are taking the lead while Program coordinator Rio acknowledged the full support of the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation, a German Catholic capacity building organization presently based in Cebu.
The farmers group from all over Negros joining the OURFood are from Patag, Silay, San Carlos City, Don Salvador Benedicto, Moises Padilla, Brgy. Concepcion in Talisay City, La Carlota City.
AFOS and ANP are assisting these member farmers developed their qualification capability, a requirement of the upscale Philippine corporate market for fruits and vegetables.*
