Altertrade Philippines Foundation for Food Sovereignty Inc. (ATPF)
On 2017 March 28, Altertrade Philippines Foundation for Food Sovereignty, Inc. (ATPF) was founded as the social development arm of ATPI. With special focus in realizing Altertrade’s mission of poverty alleviation in rural communities in Negros and of Small Producers Organizations (SPOs).
MISSION: “We are a development organization alleviating poverty and empowering marginalized producers in rural communities”.
VISION: “Self-reliant and self-determining communities where small producers live sufficiently and ecologically sustainable life with dignity”.
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Negros Small Producers Organizations (SPOs)
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Lumapao, Aquino, Malaiba and Pula Balangon Integrated Growers Association for Sustainable Farming (LAMPBIGAS)
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Kumaliskis – Igmaya-an Balangon Farmers’ Association (KIBFA)
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Spur 14 Integrated Balangon Farmers’ Association (SIBFA)
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Pandanon Integrated Balangon Farmer’s Association (PIBFA)
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Canlusong Integrated Balangon Growers’ Association (CIBGA)
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Baligwan Agro Forester’s Association (BAFA)
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LAntawan Upland Farmers Integrated Social Forestry Association (LUFISFA)
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Bulungan Integrated Agricultural Producers Farmers Association (BUIAPFA)
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Bulungan Integrated Organic Farmers Association (BIOFAS)
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Bonawon Calangag Catipon Bulungan Farmer’s Association (BCCBFA)
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Pal-ew Bulungan Growers Association (PABGA)
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Tanjay City Organic Bulungan Farmers’ Association (TACOBFA)
People’s Fair Trade Assistance Center (PFTAC)
People’s Fair Trade Assistance Center (PFTAC) is the institution partner of Altertrade in Bohol since 1994 as expansion for Balangon Trading Program. Realizing its importance to the life of Boholano Farmers, Altertrade assisted the formal establishment of the Center that formally registered in 1995 with SEC, a non-stock non-profit development Center as forerunner of Alternative Trading System in the Province of Bohol.
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PFTAC distinguished itself by spearheading the formation of the Bohol Banana Industry Development Council (BBIDC) in 2007 with the provincial government. It held chairmanship until 2012. They were receipt of various grants and soft loans from the government and foreign agencies that funded development programs in the Balangon communities.
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PFTAC ultimate GOAL is towards farmers’ productivity and marketing capabilities for sustainable development through People to People Trade.
The significance of Balangon is the empowerment and contribution to the daily needs of the small marginalized farmers in Bohol.
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Tubaga Producers Cooperative (TUBAGA)
Tubaga Producers Cooperative (TUBAGA) is the current Balangon partner of Altertrade in Tupi. They were previously called Tupi Balangon Growers Association (TUBAGA) organized in 2004 and registered with the Security and Exchange Commission in 2005.
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Planting of Organic Balangon Banana in Tupi started in 2001 iniated by Mindanao Organic Venture Enterprises (MOVE), a Davao based corporation that facilitated the production and marketing of balangon banana to Altertrade.
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On March 6, 2012, the association was converted into a cooperative known as TUBAGA PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE.
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Vision: TUBAGA Producers Cooperative envisions a self-reliant, self-sustaining organization where peace and unity and the spirit of cooperativism prevails in a healthy environment.
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Mission: We are a Cooperative practicing organic farming and sustainable agriculture, promoting peace and unity guided by fairness and committed to people-to-people trading.
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TUBAGA grows its membership to as high as 211 growers by the 2005 and reaches the highest peak of volume production as high as 2,000 boxes/week boxes by the year 2006.
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Currently, TUBAGA is considered not only as major producers of organic Balangon banana in Mindanao but also as one of the well organized groups promoting/practicing organic farming in Region XII.
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The significance of Balangon for Tupi is the contribution to peace and development. The South Cotabato provincial government recognizes and conferred to TUBAGA through Balangon trading, Muslims, IPs and Christian producers have bridged better understanding and tolerance. In 2001, Tupi was a major battleground between Moro rebel groups and the Philippine government.
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Allah Valley Development Foundation, Inc. (AVDFI)- Upper Allah Valley Organic Producers, Inc (UAVOPI)
Allah Valley Development Foundation Inc (AVDFI) and its marketing partner Upper Allah Valley Organic Producers, Inc (UAVOPI, formerly Upper Allah Valley Farmers, Inc) are the partner institutions of Altertrade in Lake Sebu. AVDFI-UAVOPI developmental works are focus with IP communities particularly Ubo and T’boli.
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In 2004, UAVOPI was the collaborating partner of ATJ for the Balangon experimental farm study located at the forest village in Tasiman, ancestral land of Ubo. By 2007, Lake Sebu became a regular source of Balangon exporting every 2 weeks.
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AVDFI have links with various European agencies. It is a member of APF.
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The significance of Balangon for Lake Sebu is the preservation of the Obo culture
Don Bosco Foundation for Sustainable Development,Inc (DBFSD)
Makilala joined Balangon trading in 2014. It has easily earned reputation of big and stable quality banana in Japan.
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Don Bosco Foundation for Sustainable Development, Inc (DBFSD) partnered with Altertrade in 2013.
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Don Bosco practices bio-dynamic organic farming. Their black, red and brown rice are their most popular products. They worked with agrarian reform communities and rural women.
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They work with various North Cotabato provincial government programs and have supports with various foreign development groups. They have strong lobby against aerial spraying of big banana farms operated or under contract with multinational corporations.
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The significance of Balangon for Makilala is the protection of watershed Mt. Apo from MNC agri-chemicals contamination MNC plantations.
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Development Options and Social Entrepreneurship , Inc (DOSE)
Development Options and Social Entrepreneurship, Inc (DOSE) is the youngest Balangon partner of Altertrade and is its the partner institution in Northern Mindanao in 2018.
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Altertrade held Northern Mindanao operation long. It was only in 2010, that Altertrade looked for a development partner. After engaging 4 or 5 development institutions, DOSE relation developed into partnership.
DOSE is a gathering of like-minded people and experts keen and passionate on finding solutions to Mindanao’s grinding poverty and centuries-old conflicts caused by lack of options and unifying vision for the future.
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DOSE focus is on the development of villages, especially among indigenous people, youth, women and upland farmers, utilizing the benefits of social enterprises, opportunities of value-chain in sustainable agriculture, high-value crops, processing, marketing, and social entrepreneurship.
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As a group, it has been establishing strategic alliances with development partners like Altertrade and funding agencies to bring services and support closer to the poor through joint projects and programs.
It will work with Philippine national and local governments, and international development agencies and INGOs on public-private partnerships to pursue higher productivity and income and savings in the rural/urban areas among farmers and indigenous peoples (IPs) with deep sense of environmental sustainability, health and adaptation to climate change.
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They assumed full management of NM operations in June 2019.
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The significance of Balangon for Northern Mindanao is the protection of watershed at Cagayan river basin along Higaonon ancestral domain communities.
