Japan-UNDP Partnership To Boost Food Security And Economic Growth In Bangsamoro

The Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Philippines have partnered to boost food security and economic development in the Bangsamoro region's Special Geographic Area (SGA), consisting of 63 barangays of the province of Cotabato that voted to be included in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The initiative is part of the project dubbed "Enhancing Food Security and Livelihood in Bangsamoro." I Photo: UNDP Philippines Facebook

The initiative is part of the project dubbed "Enhancing Food Security and Livelihood in Bangsamoro," which aims to assist in the empowerment of conflict-affected, marginalized, and underserved communities in the area.

Several projects have already been undertaken under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD).

The endeavor aims to enable the people and the communities in target areas to enjoy the "dividends of peace" through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Japan emphasized that it has been contributing to the Mindanao Peace Process for more than two decades now.

It noted that the Japanese government and the UNDP facilitated peaceful resolutions in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) community in Zamboanga del Norte's Pigcawayan cluster in 2023.

Through the initiative, 7,000 oil palm seedlings were provided to the MILF community, supporting their establishment of a 50-hectare plantation.

Japan said that the project is part of the bigger goal to boost local economies by creating long-term livelihood opportunities for former MILF combatants and their families, as it fosters peacebuilding and sustainable development in communities affected by conflict.

The assistance by the Government of Japan, in collaboration with the UNDP Philippines, not only reduced tensions within the community but also created new long-lasting development endeavors.

Japan has vowed to continue its commitment in supporting the progress of the Peace Process in the Philippines and particularly in promoting development in Mindanao.