Our Farmers

Our farming community is composed of the P4MP Federation / ESSA Network core group. We are currently organizing and capacitating 20–40 farmer-partners who are leading the way in this "Proof of Concept" project. These individuals are more than just producers; they are "mission members" dedicated to establishing a sustainable, community-managed food system. 

Farmer Profiles

Our farmers are natural, organic, and transitioning practitioners who are moving away from chemical-heavy traditional methods. They are characterized by their commitment to:

• Stewardship: Acting as guardians of the land.

• Inner Discipline: Participating in Inner Conditioning Workshops to strengthen leadership and collaborative spirit.

• Innovation: Adopting new, high-value alternative crops like organic soya alongside traditional rice.

Farm Locations

Our regenerative farms are strategically located in:

• Santa Barbara, Iloilo: The primary hub for our entire value chain model.

• New Lucena, Iloilo: A key production area dedicated to growing high-quality soybeans.

Sustainable Farming

We practice Regenerative and Biodynamic Agriculture to ensure our work "gives back to the earth" (balik yaman sa lupa). Our key practices include:

• Soil Restoration: Targeting a 10–20% increase in Soil Organic Matter (SOM) compared to baseline levels.

• Nitrogen Fixing: Utilizing the biological intelligence of soya to naturally enrich the soil.

• Biodiversity Recovery: Building a Community Seed Bank with a target reserve of 100–150 kg to ensure local seed self-reliance.

• Zero-Waste Focus: Ensuring that 70% of processing co-products, like okara, are utilized for human nutrition rather than discarded.

Farmer Stories

Our stories are about reclaiming the soul of agriculture. We are moving away from a system "corrupted" by GMO feeds and corporate dominance to bring back organic soya to the mainstream market. Inspired by the legacy of Maria Orosa, our farmers are weaving a new local economy where the fruits of their labor benefit the community directly rather than multi-million dollar corporations.

Join as a Farmer

We invite local farmers to join the ESSA Network and become part of this transformative value chain.

• The Onboarding Process: Includes orientation, baseline data collection, and integration into the P4MP Federation.

• Commitment: New members agree to integrate regenerative principles and participate in Inner Conditioning (IC) practices.

• Member Benefits:

  • Comprehensive training in organic agriculture and cooperative management.

  • Access to advanced regenerative and biodynamic modules.

  • A target 20% average increase in overall household income through high-value crop diversification.