The Makati Business Club is ramping up efforts to strengthen the country’s agriculture value chain, with plans to boost logistics, expand cold storage, and roll out price transparency measures to improve farmers’ incomes.
Speaking at the Food Is Everyone’s Business 2026 Food and Agriculture Security Summit on March 17, chairman Ramon R. del Rosario Jr. said the group is pursuing partnerships to tackle post-harvest losses and transport bottlenecks that have long cut into farm earnings.
Among the proposals is a pilot program for off-grid cold storage, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, aimed at preserving produce and improving farm-to-market flow.
MBC is also studying a price transparency board that would publicly display farm-gate and retail prices in partnership with a local government unit. The initiative seeks to give farmers better market information and stronger leverage in pricing.
“We are exploring a pilot with a local government unit for a price transparency board that can display farm-gate and retail prices,” Del Rosario said.
The summit builds on MBC’s agriculture push launched in 2024 to mobilize private sector support for the farm sector.
“We return not only to continue the conversation but to show progress and move from words to action,” he said, adding that business can play a larger role alongside government, cooperatives, and farmers.
Other efforts include the Adopt-a-Cooperative program, which aims to turn farmer groups into competitive enterprises through training and stronger market links.
“With the right partnerships, the private sector can help modernize farming and enable farmers to earn more,” Del Rosario said.
