who we are
Iraya Farms is a social enterprise program established to support marginalized rice farming communities.
Iraya Farms is a Private-Public Partnership initiative, which convergences corporate capital, social enterprise, cutting edge farming technologies, sound business practices, market linkages and government support. It aims to harness the county’s under-utilized but fully-irrigated rice farm assets to maximum productivity. Its primary goals are to "make the poor farmers less poor" and wean them to self-reliance.
The marginalized farmers continually struggle with capital consequently falling victims to predatory lenders who drive them deeper into a vicious cycle of poverty. Limited use of farming technologies and processes, lack of social preparedness and proper values, economies of scale, market linkages, infrastructure, equipment and entrepreneurial discipline are key inhibitors to optimum productivity. Due to these challenges, they produce a disappointing average of 35 to 50 sacks of rice per hectare. The Philippines, a predominantly agricultural country has been importing rice for years. Today, there is a demand-supply gap of 1.2 million metric tons of this staple crop.
Iraya Farms is a Private-Public Partnership initiative, which convergences corporate capital, social enterprise, cutting edge farming technologies, sound business practices, market linkages and government support. It aims to harness the county’s under-utilized but fully-irrigated rice farm assets to maximum productivity. Its primary goals are to "make the poor farmers less poor" and wean them to self-reliance.
The marginalized farmers continually struggle with capital consequently falling victims to predatory lenders who drive them deeper into a vicious cycle of poverty. Limited use of farming technologies and processes, lack of social preparedness and proper values, economies of scale, market linkages, infrastructure, equipment and entrepreneurial discipline are key inhibitors to optimum productivity. Due to these challenges, they produce a disappointing average of 35 to 50 sacks of rice per hectare. The Philippines, a predominantly agricultural country has been importing rice for years. Today, there is a demand-supply gap of 1.2 million metric tons of this staple crop.
how we do it
We fund, operate and manage the entire value chain from land preparation to marketing. Iraya Farms leases fully-irrigated land from the farmers on a "NET 50/50" share and hire them as partner workers so they can sustain their families between harvests. For the more financially, technically and socially advanced, we provide technology transfer, technical support and economies of scale.
Employing a social enterprise template, we install a team of seasoned business managers and farm technicians to run each farm as a business. We manage every activity to ensure that the land is impeccably prepped, the seeds germinate, the fertilizers are applied properly and the harvest ends up in our warehouses instead of cockfighting arenas. While we provide an immediate income lift to the marginalized farmers, we keep the operations profitable so we can continue to help. While we intervene, we do not tolerate mendicancy. We promote self-reliance.
Employing a social enterprise template, we install a team of seasoned business managers and farm technicians to run each farm as a business. We manage every activity to ensure that the land is impeccably prepped, the seeds germinate, the fertilizers are applied properly and the harvest ends up in our warehouses instead of cockfighting arenas. While we provide an immediate income lift to the marginalized farmers, we keep the operations profitable so we can continue to help. While we intervene, we do not tolerate mendicancy. We promote self-reliance.
what we've done
The proof of concept was successfully implemented in Dolores, Eastern Samar in 2009 harvesting an average of 232 sacks per hectare. Using the SL-9H “miracle rice”, responsible input /pest management and corporate efficiencies, the farmers netted an average of P48,000.00 per hectare from both their harvest share and labor wages. Up from P3,000.00 (US$70.00) per cropping. Iraya Farms netted an equal amount which we roll into the next croppings and expand to other fully-irrigated but depressed areas throughout the country.
With a working template in rice, Iraya Farms is planning to expand to higher value crops.
With a working template in rice, Iraya Farms is planning to expand to higher value crops.
DSWD Private Public Partnership
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has partnered with Iraya farms in transitioning dole out Conditional Cash Transfer beneficiaries into productive poor through DSWD's Cash for Work/Training program. Iraya Farms trains and encourages farmers to plant sweet potato and cassava. The ethanol plant will buy all their produce. We will also train coconut farmers to plant & process coco sugar with an assured market. The obvious value adds are increased labor opportunities and income supplement.
