USAid links Pinoy farms, markets

THE Department of Agriculture in its efforts to help Filipino farmers transport their produce to key markets and address urgent food security issues, has received support from the United States government through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAid) One Delivery Platform or Deliver-e.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim recently said the USAid worked closely with government line agencies and the private sector to establish Deliver-e, a digital platform connecting Luzon farmers to buyers through an innovative, end-to-end electronic market system that addresses supply chain gaps during community quarantine.

These were the Agriculture department, Department of Trade and Industry and the private sector led by Philippine logistics technology startup Insight Supply Chain Solutions.

“We are proud to work with the Philippine government and the private sector to open new distribution channels for agricultural produce, which will restore farmers’ incomes and support food security,” Kim said.

He added that the Deliver-e platform is part of a P900-million USAid initiative to advance the country’s competitiveness and boost trade and investment, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Deliver-e platform links producers and consumers, thus farmers generate more income by selling fresher fruits and vegetables to buyers and less food goes to waste.

Launched in early April, it has enabled sales of more than 156,000 kilograms of fresh fruits and vegetables through its first two e-marketplaces, Gulay ng Bayan and City Farms Philippines, and facilitated the movement of fresh produce to institutional and individual buyers in Metro Manila.