Japan has provided $5 million to support farmers’ livelihood in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through a partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), the Embassy of Japan in Manila said in a news release.
The funding aims to enhance climate-resilient livelihoods in vulnerable communities across the region by helping BARMM farmers establish disaster risk management plans and processes, as well as maintain irrigation systems as climate change adaptation measures.
The three-year initiative will also include the installation of early warning systems for extreme weather events.
On February 28, Ambassador Kazuya Endo and WFP Representative and Country Director in the Philippines, Regis Chapman, formalized the agreement for the “Project for Enhancing Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Vulnerable Communities in BARMM.”
Further, the project aims to support the transformation of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camps under the Camp Transformation Program.
In his speech at the signing of the agreement, Ambassador Endo emphasized the crucial role of sustainable livelihoods in achieving lasting peace and development in BARMM. He also expressed his hopes that this initiative, along with other ongoing efforts, will significantly enhance the livelihoods of the Bangsamoro people.
Key officials present at the signing included Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Deputy Presidential Adviser Senior Undersecretary Isidro Purisima, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform Minister Mohammad Shuaib Yacob, and Office of the Director General of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority Chief Hasna Abubakar-Adam.
