Program / Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA)

Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA)

2021 - 2026

Photos by Michelle Johnsen of Lancaster Photography Collective
MEDA, with funding from the Government of Canada, is implementing a five-year project in the cacao sector of the Philippines.

Goal

To strengthen the cacao sector through investment and create more sustainable livelihoods for Mindanao women and men farmers and businesspeople.

Scope

The project will support 25,000 women and men smallholder farmers and their households, agribusinesses, cooperatives, and public institutions.

Context

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted poverty levels in the Philippines, as household incomes declined and the economy shrunk. For the Mindanao region, which has the highest poverty rate in the country, the impact of the pandemic has only made things worse. In the cacao sector, in which the Mindanao region produces 80% of the crop on small farms, a lack of investment and skills within the sector means production remains low, particularly among farms, SMEs, and co-operatives led by women.

In response, the Government of the Philippines launched its “Plant Plant Plant Program” and the 2022 Cacao Challenge. These programs aim to support the recovery of farmers and agricultural enterprises from the impacts of the pandemic and develop the lucrative cacao crop.

Opportunity

There are ample opportunities to build and strengthen the cacao sector. With rising global demand for cacao, the dominant role that SHFs, especially women farmers, play in producing cacao in the Philippines, and strong government support, investing in this sector can strengthen inclusive and sustainable cacao markets. As a result, women and men SHFs can increase and improve their incomes and livelihoods.

RIISA is implemented using MEDA's Program Plus approach, which calls for partnership to drive sustainable change.

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Strategy

The RIISA project is using the following strategies:

  • Market Systems Approach: MEDA is identifying the needs and limitations of cacao market-systems’ stakeholders, including SHFs, business service providers, and financial intermediaries. It also includes a gender equality/social inclusion (GESI) and environment and climate change (ECC) focus.
  • Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA): MEDA is bringing together diverse stakeholders including investment funds, SMEs, cacao sector associations and farmer cooperatives. The SLA serves as a platform for these diverse groups to meaningful engage with each other.
  • Capacity Strengthening and Technical Assistance: MEDA is establishing successful partnerships with the selected organizations and providing technical support.
  • Gender Lens Investing: Leveraging MEDA’s Risk Capital Fund (MRCF), the project will focus on investees that increase inclusion of women and men smallholder farmers, integrate environmental sustainability, and encourage and enable the flow of new investment capital to develop the overall resilience of support systems for the cacao sector.

Reach

The estimated project reach includes:

  • 5,400 smallholder farmers (SHFs) (40% women) provided with market linkages and training to increase farming incomes.
  • 15 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and financial intermediaries provided with GEM technical assistance to become more investment-ready, and matching grants to implement gender equitable and environmentally sustainable business strategies.
  • Provide capital through the MEDA Risk Capital Fund to stimulate investment and growth in the cacao sector.
  • 15 cacao cooperatives provided technical assistance to develop gender equitable and environmentally sustainable business plans and matching grants to improve business practices.
  • 150 farming couples were provided with opportunities to work on gender equality within individual households.
  • Indirectly, benefit more than 25,000 members of SHF households, SME employees, and co-operative members will benefit from the project.

Our Impact with RIISA

Data from our past fiscal year:
July 2024 - June 2025
* Impact data for new programs will not be reflected until the next fiscal year.

Decent Jobs:

Individual entrepreneurs or smallholder farmers if their work achieves at least one of the following:

  • Increased yield of 25% or more compared to baseline
  • Increased revenue of 50% or more compared to baseline
  • Increased net income of 25% or more compared to baseline
0

Decent Jobs

0
%

Women

0
%

Youth

0

Clients

Clients:

Individuals, businesses and other organizations directly benefiting from financial or technical assistance from a MEDA intervention as part of a formal contract, including the following sub-categories:

  • Smallholder farmers or entrepreneurs registered by MEDA, partners, service providers, or lead firm or business receiving matching grant from MEDA
  • Micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs)
  • Other entities, such as alliances directly benefiting from a MEDA intervention (e.g. market alliance, cooperative of farmers, chamber of commerce, financial institutions that receive grants)
0
%

Direct

0
%

Indirect

Watch our virtual project launch

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The RIISA Strategic Learning Agenda

MEDA and the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture

Discover how the adoption of Gendered-Environmental, Social, and Governance (G-ESG) principles is enhancing the cacao industry of the Philippines.
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In partnership with

RIISA was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada, and through the support of our generous MEDA members.

Follow Us: The RIISA project is on Facebook

Visit our page @PHRIISA

Our programs drive the creation of decent jobs through our impact investments and transformation of agri-food systems.

With the support of MEDA members and our implementing partners, along with 70+ years of knowledge and experience, we are creating business solutions to poverty around the world.
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