Many rural farmers are often subject to the country’s unpredictable weather, high transportation costs, and middlemen who usually gets the bigger chunk of the profit along the supply chain. There are some farmers who receive as little as PHP 3,000 for three months’ worth of labor. Some work for months but are unable to find buyers who would be willing to purchase their produce. Because of these challenges, it is not uncommon to hear that several Filipino farmers are abandoning their lands to look for other ways to earn a living. But for some areas in Tarlac, Benguet, Laguna, and Bulacan, it is not the case anymore, thanks to the Good Food Community.
Good Food Community is a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program founded in the Philippines in 2011. Their mission is to ensure that farmers get their fair share so they can live a comfortable life and promote sustainable methods of farming to feed communities and help the environment. The CSA model intends to nurture a society that nourishes everyone – the land, the consumers, the farmers, and generations to come. The challenges to achieving sustainable development serve as an invitation to evolve a system and culture that puts the planet and people first. And, this is possible through Community Shared Agriculture.
For over 25 years, CSA has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. A simple explanation: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically, the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. The CSA business model provides farmers with a stable demand and guarantees subscribers with a share of the harvest every week. CSA also enables farmers to plan ahead and grow what is needed for a specific number of subscribers who have put their trust in the farmers by paying for the produce upfront.
Good Food Community is a community of advocates, mindful consumers, young professionals, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and organic farmers composed of CEO and founder, Charlene Tan; operations manager, Ernest Barreiro; organic vegetable farmer and customer support manager, Paulo Sandoval; marketing manager, Micah Lima; organic vegetable farmer and farmer support manager, Jabez Flores; organic rice farmers and Transition Philippines partners, Gwyneth Williams and Danny Buddhakorola with Sara Kaserer and Timi Manching; packing and delivery team, Drei Castillo, Eric Go, and Eros Valerio; the farmers of Capas Organic Farmer Producers Cooperative in Capas, Tarlac; La Organica in La Trinidad, Benguet; Nu Wave Farmers in Laguna; partner vendors at Good Food Sundays and Center For Bayanihan Economics at the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan.
If you are interested to be a stakeholder and to be part of this community, you may contact +63-906-433-2324 / +63-939-934-GOOD or email at hello@goodfoodcommunity.com and subscribe. You can visit their head office at Unit 108, Union Square Condominium, 15th Ave, Cubao, Quezon City for more informations.