Building pathways: reducing a farmer’s burden through a coordination of systems

The question always remains: “what can we do to help alleviate the burdens of our country’s smallholder farmers?” If systems are in place, what else is lacking? Potentially, these gaps are seen in access to reliable finance and markets.

Resilient agriculture depends not only on what farmers produce, but on whether the surrounding system provides reliable access to the inputs, tools, finance and networks they need to thrive and sustain healthy livelihoods. 

Across two Quarterly Agriculture Talks, held in June and August 2026, the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA) and the Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) convened stakeholders to examine two sides of the same coin: ensuring Filipino farmers can access the resources they need (finance) while earning more from what they produce (markets).

PPSA’s Quarterly Agriculture Talk on agricultural finance (agri-finance), held on June 10, 2026, centered on the theme  “Financing Resilient Farms and Food Systems in the Philippines.” Discussions highlighted persistent barriers to agricultural finance, including limited awareness of available programs, difficult loan requirements, and gaps in access to affordable financial services. 

In addressing these challenges, industry experts, along with farmer representatives, emphasized a critical first step: bridging the information gap. A key takeaway was the need for stronger information dissemination to our Filipino farmers–dissemination programs that deliver clear, simplified and practical guidance on available financial products.

Bridging the information gap requires more than disseminating information; it also means making financial programs easier for farmers to navigate. PPSA Executive Director Leandro Gazmin highlighted the potential value of a centralized portal that would allow farmers to explore available programs and services.

“There are different programs and projects, and one of the speakers suggested a portal which we can visit and where we can see all the programs available to us. Unfortunately, wala pa talaga yung ganun (that doesn’t exist yet). But it's best to do all these knowledge exchanges, such as [this Quarterly Talk we are having right now].” said Gazmin.

On top of more information campaigns, another key takeaway was to improve access to finance through simplified payment services, to ensure farmer-beneficiaries, whose needs are most crucial, are satisfied and reached.

This is only one piece of the puzzle. Beyond access to information and financing, however, farmers must also contend with the risks and costs of production. Patrick Belisario, a consultant for Samahang Organic and Fair Trade Coconut Farmers, underscored the disconnect between farmers and the businesses that buy their produce.

Samahang Organic and Fair Trade Coconut Farmer Consultant Patrick Belisario mentioned, “It is expected that it [the business] will not shoulder all the costs of the farmer. We externalize a lot of things. So kung nalulugi si farmer at the end of the season, walang pakialam si business at si buyer.”

On August 26, 2026, the Quarterly Agriculture Talk turned to “Inclusive Systems: Strengthening Supply Chains for Filipino Farmers.” The conversation moved from securing resources for production to answering a critical question: once farmers produce, and once farmers have access to finance, are they in the right place to reliably reach markets? Our smallholder farmers need the right resources to ensure their profits, yet the sector continues to operate in  fragmented, siloed work which is not enough to uplift farming livelihoods. Agriculture must work through systems.

One method to approach farming is through a concept called a Systems Approach.

The Systems Approach is a holistic problem-solving and management framework that views a subject as a single, cohesive unit made up of interconnected but interdependent parts. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, when systems work together, agrifood systems deliver more than food: they deliver improved lives and communities. Smallholders can move beyond fragmented, informal markets toward more reliable and sustainable market participation through this approach.

The two discussions ultimately converged on one insight: resilient agriculture cannot grow through isolated interventions. Finance must connect to production. Production must respond to markets. Markets must be supported by logistics, infrastructure, and technology. And all of these must be reinforced by stronger farmer-led organizations and meaningful collaboration among government, the private sector, civil society, financial institutions, and technology providers.

The Systems Approach is important as it calls for stronger convergence among stakeholders and digital platforms that can connect farmers with buyers, logistics providers, services, and consumers. This means getting everyone involved in agriculture to work together and use technology to make it easier for farmers to connect with buyers, transporters, support services, and customers. A resilient food system is one where farmers are not simply supported to produce—but empowered to participate and prosper.

From financing resilient farms to strengthening inclusive supply chains, the message across both of PPSA’s Quarterly Agriculture Talks is clear: building that system will take more than one actor working alone.