Bayan Family of Foundations and Philippine agritech leader Mayani join the project
HSBC Philippines has announced it will fund the development of a series of agricultural cooperative-based models to support smallholder growers adapt to the changing climate while scaling sustainable food production.
The project, which is jointly implemented by the development sector group Bayan Family of Foundations and Philippine agritech leader Mayani, will incorporate regenerative agricultural practices, use indigenous knowledge, espouse strong cooperative governance, adopt smallholder-centric digital tools, and embrace market readiness.
On-farm infrastructure improvements like smart greenhouses and precision agriculture systems comprise the project’s primary capital expenditure to drive long-term impact at scale. It also underpins the creation of a cooperative development manual to ensure replicability.
“We are pleased to partner with Bayan alongside Mayani to provide philanthropic funding for the climate-smart agriculture capacity building,” said HSBC Philippines president & chief executive officer Sandeep Uppal. “This important partnership will aim to support local farmers and fishermen to adapt climate-resilient practices and strengthen their businesses, while also striving to contribute towards the improvement of food security in the Philippines.”
Smallholders produce over 70 per cent of the Philippines food supply, yet according to HSBC these growers are grappling with a dual crisis: they are the most vulnerable to climate change, and yet they are the least capable of adapting to it. The HSBC cooperative investment aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 (No Hunger), 10 (Reduce Inequalities), and 12 (Climate Action), while building investable rural food supply chains.
“There are a thousand ways to tackle any systemic issue. History has, however, proven that the power of a community working together towards a common goal can do wonders beyond their expectations. Filipinos equate this with the value of bayanihan,” said Carlo S. Sagun, president & CEO of Bayan Family of Foundations.
“In the taxonomy of organisations, this is best exemplified by the cooperative, which has the upliftment of its members’ lives as its primary objective through its entrepreneurial pursuits. If agricultural cooperatives – numbering in thousands in the Philippines – are effectively mobilised to serve as agents of climate adaptation, social, economic, and even environmental benefits could potentially be delivered to its millions of members”
The development roadmap targets key vulnerable food corridors in Luzon and Visayas this year. In 2026, an expanded focus will include smallholders in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – a region in southern Philippines with rich natural ecosystems.
“The sheer gravity and frequency of these climate hazards would eventually require their own nomenclature. As they evolve, we see them as known constants in agriculture, and it’s high-time we tackle them head on,” said Ochie San Juan, co-founder & chief farmer of Mayani.
