On December 28, 2018, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) awarded a multi-million project to SEDPI to implement a component of the Italian Assistance to Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) Development Support Program (IARCDSP).
DAR implements the IARCDSP as one of its foreign-assisted projects which is funded under the loan agreement executed with the Government of Italy. The project aims to address poverty as well as to contribute to the acceleration of the peace process in Mindanao in support to the development objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the goal for the alleviation of poverty.
SEDPI will work on the component on Agricultural and Enterprise Development Support (AEDS) of the project. This component is comprised of activities to pursue livelihood development through the enhancement of agricultural productivity and development of agriculture-based enterprises. A Microfinance sub-component is included in the AEDS component.
SEDPI will be addressing the microfinance value-chain providing technical support and links between the different stakeholders involved in IARCDSP microfinance component. The project areas include 35 ARCs in four (4) provinces of Regions XII and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The provinces are Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat in Region XII, and the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur in ARMM.
More than 150 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) or Farmers’ Organization (FO) will be assessed to come up with at least 35 ARBOs/FOs to be assisted as microfinance organizations capable in managing a sound revolving fund/social finance system inclusive of a wide number of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).