Mindanao Rising! Mindanao Agri-Aqua Sector Gets P3.1-B EU Grant Funds

The Mindanao Development Authority in partnership with the German Development Agency GIZ and the European Union Delegation will implement starting this year the Mindanao Peace and Development Program which aims to improve agricultural productivity, reduce poverty and support the peace gains of the Duterte Administration in Mindanao.

Last week, the EU Delagation, represented by Xavier Canton, the GIZ and MinDA finalized the details of the MINPAD RISE Program which would involve agriculture and fisheries development programs totaling about P3.1-B.

The virtual meeting last week marked the beginning of a 4-year-period of implementation of the EU Grant Fund and the end of a lengthy negotiations process for loan availment.

The projects identified by MinDA will address poverty, increase productivity and immediately restart the Mindanao economy which MinDA will manage and implement through its development partners, GIZ and World Bank though the Philippine Rural Development Program.

Grains silos and milling facilities for rice and corn production areas, ice plants and cold storages for fishing communities, processing facilities for coconut and possibly a manufacturing facility for Mindanao’s natural rubber produce are among the specific projects included in the list of priorities identified by MinDA.

The identification of the projects was made during a planning workshop which included representatives of the different sectors conducted by MinDA since last year.

The loan documents were signed last year by the Philippine Government represented by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and the European Union Delegation led by Charge d’Affairs Thomas Wearning and Enrico Strampelli.

While MinDA is the implementing agency of the Mindanao Peace and Development Rise Program (MinPAD-Rise), the projects will be undertaken by its development partners.

Of the €35.5-M Fund, €20-M will be for projects under the World Bank Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) while the remaining €15.5-M will be handled by the German Development Agency GIZ.

MinDA will organize a Project Management Office (PMO) to identify the projects to be funded and directly supervise and oversee the project implementation.

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