02/03/2026
Alhamdulillah! One of our assisted farmers' success stories.
𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞|
Before the sun rises over rice fields and fishing villages, countless women are already hard at work. They tend gardens, feed livestock, process harvests, and head to the farms and coastal waters alongside their families. Their labor sustains households and communities alike—but often goes unseen, uncounted, and undervalued.
Across the Philippines, women are vital to agriculture and fisheries, serving as farmers, processors, traders, cooperative leaders, and entrepreneurs. Yet despite their indispensable contributions, they remain among the most marginalized.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), women comprised only about 25% of formally reported agricultural workers from 2007 to 2016. Much of their work—planting, harvesting, drying, sorting, and selling produce—is considered an extension of household duties, unrecognized as “work.” When formally employed, women still earn less than men, with daily wages trailing by 15 to 21 pesos. Land ownership and access to resources also remain limited, with only 13.8% of agrarian reform beneficiaries holding emancipation titles awarded to women, and women representing just 38% of cooperative members.
While these numbers tell a story of inequality there is also opportunity. Empowering women in agriculture is not only a matter of fairness; it is key to rural development. When women gain access to land, training, credit, and markets, productivity rises, incomes improve, and entire communities thrive.
Since 2014, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has been helping turn this potential into reality. Implemented by the Department of Agriculture, PRDP reaches 81 provinces, 640 municipalities, and 32 cities. The project invests in rural infrastructure, enterprise development, and value chains, aiming to raise rural incomes and reduce poverty.
To date, PRDP has reached 1.553 million beneficiaries nationwide, 39% of whom are women. Through farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, and livelihood projects, women gain access to markets, knowledge, and technology that increase productivity and incomes while empowering them to lead in their communities.
In 2023, the PRDP Scale-Up, with support from the World Bank, broadened its reach to create opportunities for nearly half a million farmers and fisherfolk nationwide. Through investments in climate-smart infrastructure, processing and storage facilities, and improved logistics systems, the program strengthens micro- to medium-scale agricultural enterprises. Beyond infrastructure and enterprise, it also opens doors for women—creating pathways to leadership, entrepreneurship, and greater financial independence.
In Mindanao, this impact comes to life in the story of Merry Saint C. Ganih. A mother of four and a farmer by birth, Merry Saint grew up cultivating the same land her ancestors once tilled. Like many smallholders, she faced unstable markets and limited access to training. As a Muslim woman in a male-dominated sector, she also had to navigate discrimination and deeply rooted barriers.
But in 2021, determined to transform these challenges into opportunities, she gathered 29 fellow farmers for a simple meeting rooted in shared hope. That gathering marked the beginning of the St. Mary of Downtown Farmers Organization Inc. What started as a small circle of committed individuals steadily grew into a thriving cooperative of more than 285 members—united by a common vision of progress, sustainability, and empowerment.
“When we started, our cooperative wasn’t even focused on coffee,” Merry Saint recalls. “But through trainings from PRDP, MAFAR, and other government agencies, we realized coffee was gold—not just as a product, but as a livelihood. My goal has always been to empower our farmers. I look forward to the day our product reaches international markets. That’s when I can truly say we have succeeded.”
Women now perform critical roles in running the enterprise taking part of the official function such as money keeper.
“PRDP didn’t just improve our processing,” says Marelrose L. Leones, treasurer of the cooperative. “It empowered our farmers to dream bigger and take control of their future.”
Their story is one of thousands across the country, where women in agriculture are stepping up as innovators, leaders, and drivers of rural economies. They manage enterprises, negotiate with buyers, organize cooperatives, and nurture the next generation of farmers.
This Women’s Month, as we honor the call to “Lead Like the Babaylans, Filipinas,” their stories remind us that inclusive development is powerful development.
Across rice fields, fishing villages, processing centers, and value chains, women continue to plant the seeds of change. And with programs like PRDP Scale-Up, those seeds are taking root—growing into stronger communities, stronger institutions, and a stronger future for Philippine agriculture. (Joy Montecalvo | PSO Mindanao)
