FY2023 marked our fifth year partnering with Nestlé as a funding partner and Proforest as the facilitating organization on the ground for the RSS program in the Philippines sugar sector. The initiative aims to address sustainability risks and livelihood needs of smallholder sugarcane farmers in Negros Occidental, the country’s largest sugar-producing region. The RSS program tackles issues such as child labor, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, agricultural best practices, alternative livelihood support and income diversification. With collaborative efforts from local organizations, educational institutions and corporate partners, the program has also focused on capacity-building for Child Rights Advocates, research and development of PPE and initiatives to enhance farm productivity and sustainability.
Since the RSS program started seven years ago, it has supported approximately 4,300 farmers from 102 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBO) groups covering nearly 3,300 hectares. The program is implemented by a local organization, Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc. (SIFI), together with the Hawaiian-Philippine Company, Victorias Milling Corporation and Lopez Sugar Corporation. Proforest provides strategic support and overall coordination between SIFI, Nestlé and ASR Group.
In FY2023, our initiatives through the RSS program not only empowered the farmers and communities but have also demonstrated a commitment to a more sustainable and responsible sugar industry in the Philippines. Farmers are now looking into engaging in additional efforts to include regenerative agriculture, contributing to the industry's sustainability while dealing with weather changes.
“It is a shared responsibility to address salient human rights challenges in our supply chains,” said Rafael Vayá, ASR Group’s Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. “Projects like this mark an essential step toward creating positive social and economic impact and shared value in our value chain, as well as ensure farmers pave their way to dealing with ongoing climate change challenges. The strong partnership among stakeholders has enabled a perfect climate for continuous success. It benefits the most vulnerable farmer communities in the Negros Occidental sugarcane industry, and it empowers outgrowers through capacity building and education.”
Watch the video below to learn more about the RSS program.