Growing Together

How Farmers in Capiz Are Changing Their Future

April 28, 2025

Two women walk along a narrow dirt path surrounded by lush greenery. — Flora Palomar (right), a lead farmer in the federation, shares her story and walks through her family’s coffee and cacao farm in Tapaz.

Flora Palomar moves through the fields at dawn, inspecting the coffee and cacao trees. The morning air is cool, and another long day of demanding work lies ahead.

In Capiz, a coastal province in the central Philippines, generations of smallholder farmers have worked this land - planting, harvesting, and drying beans under the sun. For years, many like this 46-year-old farmer have done this alone, relying on their own skills, networks, and luck to make a living. However, as seasons grow more unpredictable and extreme weather events become more frequent due to climate change, sustaining a steady income has become even harder.

Flora has been farming since she was 13, having inherited the work from her family. She and her husband Nelson are now the only ones in their family still living in Tapaz, as their children have moved away. Their life revolves around managing their 26-hectare farm, which includes timber, fruit trees, and high-value crops like coffee and cacao. Yet, for many years, their fruit-bearing trees went unharvested due to a lack of market access.

Conflicts within their members and persistent challenges—like the use of spraying techniques despite guidance—compounded their struggles. Despite years of effort, profits remained low. With no collective structure, farmers in the region sold their crops through individual connections, struggling to negotiate fair prices or improve their production. Many relied on traditional techniques, with limited training in post-harvest processing or value addition.

Lush green landscape with rolling hills under a cloudy sky, extending to the horizon. — The view from Tapaz, Capiz—where forested hills and farmland converge, showing the landscape farmers are working to protect and restore.

Building a future together

Things began to shift when Flora joined a series of organizational development activities initiated by the Gerry Roxas Foundation (GRF). These sessions didn’t just teach her technical skills like survey and mapping, nursery management, plantation layout, and coffee harvesting—they also helped her learn how to motivate and persuade her fellow members, resolve conflicts, and rebuild trust within the association.

Through this structured support, GRF introduced the idea of a farmers’ federation. Rather than working in isolation, smallholder farmers could now collaborate, share resources, negotiate better prices, and access more stable markets.

The project’s approach went beyond coordination. It raised awareness of climate risks and introduced opportunities linked to climate finance—helping farmers understand how long-term sustainability could be achieved through better planning, access to funding, and collective governance. It also opened doors to partnerships with government agencies and private sector actors, connecting farmers to shared post-harvest facilities, digital tools, and reinvestment mechanisms. With this support in place, the impact began to take root. “We have received great help, especially for our crops and in finding ways to further improve them,” says Flora.

At first, some farmers were hesitant. But as they saw the potential for higher earnings and stability, the benefits became clear. Farmers realized that collective action, paired with improved financial planning and market access, could break the cycle of uncertainty.

Group of diverse individuals posing together outside a building, holding certificates. — Graduates of the training program and GRF staff gather after a capacity-building workshop on climate-smart agriculture

Flora, who is currently the Vice President of the Tascanarra Farmers Association also met the president of the Capiz Coffee Council during a climate finance mapping session and arranged for the Tascanara Farmers Association to join the council’s supplier network—creating new opportunities for market access and visibility.

To further amplify this progress, the project brought together 26 key institutions across government, academia, civil society, and the private sector. This coalition helped strengthen climate governance, develop localized financing roadmaps, and align strategies for sustainable, community-led adaptation.

From Isolation to Opportunity: Building Market Access

The biggest breakthrough came when the federation secured supply agreements with 20 coffee shops in Roxas City. For the first time, farmers had a direct, reliable market for their products.

Climate change had made coffee production increasingly unpredictable—affecting flowering cycles, bean quality, and harvest timing. By strengthening the supply chain, the project helped farmers improve post-harvest practices, meet quality standards, and gain access to stable markets.

Alongside these new buyer connections, farmers gained access to shared post-harvest processing facilities—allowing them to dry, sort, and package their produce to meet higher quality standards. Capiz State University also supported this progress by conducting feasibility studies that helped farmer groups refine their business models and improve their operations.

“Our members are excited to resume and rehabilitate our crops because we have found a market where we can sell directly, which will truly help us.” – Flora Palomar

“These supply agreements have renewed farmers’ motivation and confidence. With stable markets in place, they’re more committed to farming and to improving their livelihoods in a sustainable, people-centered way.” – Cesar Ocson, Gerry Roxas Foundation

Since then, market opportunities have continued to grow. The federation has attracted interest from private sector buyers and companies committed to sustainable sourcing, while also tapping into government procurement programmes for bulk purchases. By participating in regional forums and multi-sectoral events, farmers have been able to showcase their products and build relationships with additional buyers and investors.

These efforts are gradually building a more stable and diversified market base—creating not just income security, but new incentives for members to invest in quality and sustainability across their farms.

The grant helped bring together 20 People’s Organizations (POs) across Capiz, allowing them to share knowledge, build confidence, and speak with a stronger voice. With support from GRF and partners like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), they accessed training, financing, and new opportunities—turning small efforts into a larger, more coordinated movement for sustainable farming and reforestation.

A green cacao pod hanging from a tree branch amidst a blurred background of foliage. — A young cacao pod grows in a shaded plantation—part of the revitalized agroforestry systems supported by the federation.

Investing in Climate-Resilient Agriculture

This transformation was about more than just selling coffee and cacao. With support from UNDP’s Climate Finance Network (CFN), the Gerry Roxas Foundation (GRF) implemented the “Monetising National Greening Program (NGP) Gains and Enhanced Natural Resources (ENR) Project,”—anchored on the government’s National Greening Program and supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The initiative laid the groundwork for stronger forest governance, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable financing for farmers across Capiz.

By uniting 20 People’s Organisations (POs/CSOs) into a federation, the project helped farmers move from fragmented, individual efforts to a coordinated system—collaborating on land-use planning, rehabilitation, and economic resilience. They gained practical skills in climate-resilient farming, financial planning, and sustainable resource management.

Flora and her fellow farmers used these skills to rehabilitate 60% of their fruit tree plantation and plant over 13,000 seedlings across 26 hectares—turning knowledge into tangible gains.

A group of people walking in a green, outdoor setting, with one woman smiling at the camera. — Gerry Roxas Foundation staff and farmers conduct a field visit, assessing progress in reforested areas.

Perhaps most importantly, the project helped improve and made livelihoods more resilient as they are armed with new knowledge and partners to adapt to climate change. With new buyer connections and training, Flora says she and her husband have seen a rise in income and stability—enough to help support their grandchildren’s education and reinvest in their farm.

Scaling Up: What’s Next?

As the federation refines its approach, it is identifying ways to scale its progress. Discussions with government agencies and private sector stakeholders are ongoing to expand the network, improve infrastructure, and strengthen financial support for more farmers in Capiz.

“This approach is working, and we can help it grow even stronger. By balancing accountability with local ownership, we can empower communities to learn, thrive, and take charge of their own sustainable future,” says Cesar Ocson, GRF project manager.

As momentum built in Tascanara, GRF began replicating the model in nearby communities—supporting youth cooperatives, Indigenous associations, and farmer groups to organize and access climate finance.

The Provincial Development Council of Capiz has expressed interest in formally registering the federation and making it a member of the council. This would give the farmers a seat at the table for policymaking and development planning—enabling the model to be scaled and replicated in other regions.

These efforts are being supported by a growing coalition that includes Capiz State University, the DTI and the DENR, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Local Government Unit of Tapaz. Their contributions range from feasibility studies and training to policy support and the inclusion of the federation in local development councils.

Beyond market access, the federation has created a shift in how farmers collaborate, plan, and invest in their future. What was once a scattered, individual effort is now a structured, coordinated system, allowing farmers to secure better prices, improve their production, and build resilience against climate and economic uncertainty.

“We’re not just farmers anymore—we’re a community,” adds Flora.

The experience in Capiz shows that local access to climate finance, combined with strong partnerships and farmer-led solutions, can transform rural economies.